The Acupuncture Poll's question for July 2004 was:
How well did the education and training you received in school prepare you to practice acupuncture?
Results are as follows:
These results are based upon 874 responses. As this is a voluntary, non-scientific survey, caution should be used in generalizing the results. Here is a sample of the comments made by those who took the survey and how they voted. Some comments have been edited for brevity.
The training and education I received were above average: I went to one of the most well-known schools in California and feel that my education in TCM was very good but was lacking in several areas that are required to be successful in private practice. There was not enough class work in the areas of insurance billing, collections, business management, and legal issues related to the profession. I hope that in the future more programs take these areas seriously, as it no surprise that only 25% of the TCM graduates are still in practice after five years.
The training and education I received were excellent: My training program was excellent, and I felt I was fully prepared for professional practice upon graduation. No complaints.
The training and education I received were below average: After receiving education in the field of Western medicine, I felt that the courses taught in the Oriental medicine program were taught with less than qualified instructors - instructors, but not necessarily teachers.
The training and education I received were excellent: The actual TCM training was great (although I think pulse diagnosis needed to be taught more thoroughly, in a more experiential manner). The longer I'm out of school and in a successful practice, the better I can look back and appreciate just how well indeed I was taught. My one complaint is that I wish we had been given more (some!) exposure to business and marketing practices. What a hard learning-by-doing it's been!
For more information on the Acupuncture Poll, contact Acupuncture Today at editorial@acupuncturetoday.com.
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