In 2002, the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, along with Bastyr University, became the first acupuncture college to receive approval from the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to begin offering an accredited doctoral program. Three years after the doctoral program began, OCOM will bestow the first clinical Oriental medicine doctoral degrees in the nation at a graduation ceremony on July 10.
"OCOM's graduation of the first group of doctoral-trained practitioners in acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the United States is a remarkable achievement for the graduating students, Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, and the profession as a whole," enthused Dr. Michael Gaeta, the college's new president. "Clearly, the program's rigorous pedagogical approach, which emphasizes advanced theoretical knowledge and clinical skills, as well as research design and scholarly activity, forms a solid foundation for the graduates to take on a more vigorous role in enhancing the professional development of the field."
Lixin Huang, president of the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, will deliver the keynote address at the graduation ceremony. Ms. Huang also serves as president of the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco.
The doctoral program at OCOM consists of 1,228 hours spread across a 26-month period, and is the only one of its kind with a modular format. The program is offered via a series of teaching modules, which take place at the OCOM campus in Portland, Oregon; modules are held every four to five weeks over long weekend periods (Friday through Monday). The format is designed to provide flexibility for students, who do not have to relocate to Portland or leave their private practices to participate in the doctoral program.
For more information on OCOM's doctoral program, visit www.ocom-daom.info.
