At the third American TCM Congress, the organizers — the Traditional Chinese Medicine Alumni Association (TCMAAA) and the American TCM Association (ATCMA) brought U.S. and Chinese practitioners together socially and academically.
Many top leaders were in attendance offering their support for ATCMA/TCMAAA while building relationships to enhance the impact of acupuncture around the world. Dr. Haihe Tian, AP, PhD, President of TCMAAA and ATCMA, opening remarks echoed the mission of the ATCMA in its strong desire to promote deeper understanding of TCM medicine in the U.S.
The opening ceremony included Congresswoman Judy Chu PhD, representing the 27th District of California, and Delegate Mark Keam, representing the 35th District of Virginia offered encouragement from the Commonwealth of Virginia, offering words of welcome and success to all attendees.
Keynotes speakers, Dr. Baoyan Lui, President of WAFS, and Binsheng Sang, Secretary-General of WFCMS, both from Beijing, then highlighted the growth of not only acupuncture but Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the US thanks to some of the pioneers that were present in the room.
Advanced Needling Techniques & Demonstrations
The importance of Acupoint specificity was an interesting link between many of the presentations. Proper identification, location and indication was emphasized to improve treatment effectivity and outcome. Some of the demonstrations included advanced scalp acupuncture techniques by Dr. Jason Jishen Hao and local needling for osteoarthritis of the knee with application of moxibustion with emphasis on preventative care and rehabilitation by Dr. Wei Tang. These demonstrations offered invaluable perspectives from clinical observations and growing clinical research.
The Research & Education Forum
The Congress included a research and education forum offering more information examining acupuncture techniques and relevant studies. This forum also identified some of the issues unique to the practice of acupuncture in the U.S. that differs from China.
Dr. Ashley Xia, MD, PhD, LAc from NIH discussed trends towards using "Big Data" to enhance the growth of scientific research in acupuncture. As modern technology becomes more available, research results, analysis and communication back into the clinical field will be enhanced.
One issue hindering current acupuncture research models is the inclusion of "Sham" acupuncture control groups which was addressed by Dr. Arthur Fan CMD, PhD, LAc. Interesting points were also made by Dr. Weidong Wang, MD that acupuncture research must focus on psychological conditions, as well as, the physiological body.
Growth within the U.S.
Since the recognition of CAM research by U.S. government agencies, the practice of acupuncture has growth from developing accredited educational training programs and standards into an accepted, still underutilized, but important treatment option in the U.S.
The NCCAOM panel of speakers addressed this growth of acupuncture in the US and importance of diplomate certification. The formation of the NCCAOM's Academy of Diplomates will also play an important part promoting positive changes and development in the profession. Yemeng Chen, Vice-President of ACAOM, also addressed the trend in U.S. acupuncture education moving towards post-doctorate and PhD programs. Inclusion of classes such as Acu-anatomy, Acu-physiology, Acu- histology and specialty techniques were suggestions from attendees during the forum's question and answer session.
ATCMA is open to all TCM practitioners including students and more information can be found on their website www.atcma-us.org. Plans for 4th American TCM Congress, which will be held in Seattle, Washington on August 4-5, 2018, are already in motion.
As modern medical standardization continues, the field of traditional Chinese medicine has the advantage of comprehensive personalization. For rare or complex cases, deeper consideration of constitution is invaluable. Proper constitutional assessment, especially with first-time clients, can guide desirable and predictable outcomes. This leads to a higher rate of return, and greater trust between you and your patient.
Though the creation of a financially sustainable, health-promoting model feels far away today, we are casting a vision for a full return on health, believing that this compels us to keep one foot firmly rooted in caring for the sick and the other foot firmly founded in maintaining health. Shifting from a fee-for-service model to value-based care using a phased approach is paramount.
Traditional Chinese medicine and the Vedic traditions both offer rich frameworks for understanding human health, emphasizing the balance of physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. The concept of "souls" or spiritual components in TCM, namely Hun, Po, Shen, Yi, and Zhi, bears significant similarities to the yogic concept of koshas. Their similarities and differences provide insights into how these systems contribute to holistic health practices.
