John & Jenny Traditional Chinese Medicine College (JJTCMC), a private TCM and Acupuncture college located in Markham, Ontario, Canada, provides the following as a guide to what makes the best Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture school, college, or program. If you find yourself navigating a sea of dizzying options, it is our hope that what follows provides you with your direction.
In this series we will discuss in detail those considerations from which one may select their own list of criteria to judge a school, college, or program in Traditional Chinese Medicine or Acupuncture. Today's topic for discussion are general considerations in selecting the best TCM or Acupuncture school or program.
CLINICAL HOURS CONSIDERATIONS
• Internships vs Student Clinics: The difference between internships at private clinics vs school-affiliated student clinics should simply be the location at which you are to complete your clinical hours. If daily commute is of any concern, it may be prudent to opt for an option wherein you are fully aware of where clinical hours are to be accumulated. Note, I said that the only difference “should” be location; this assumes that the following considerations are equal across all programs under consideration.
• Meets Regulatory College Requirements: If licensing will be required for you to practice post-graduation, then ensure that the number of clinical hours that are required to graduate from a given program meet or exceed the minimum requirements for entry to any licensing examination(s).
• Distinguished Clinical Supervisors: Regardless of whether clinical hours are completed at a student clinic that is affiliated with a given school or as an internship at a private practice, the quality of your clinical supervisors should be assessed. Traditionally, and for sound reason, TCM and Acupuncture was taught by way of apprenticing with masters of the modalities. Do not underestimate the value of your clinical hours; where theory obtained from coursework will ensure that one meets the minimum competencies for licensing, one’s clinical hours are important in improving your abilities to handle any condition. Naturally, one’s potential is highest when assigned to a clinical supervisor with impressive credentials, many clients, and many years of clinical practice.
• Breadth of Cases: As clinics tend to produce more of the same types of patient cases, due to the mechanism of referrals, prospective students should inquire as to the variability and breadth in conditions that will be seen throughout one’s clinical hours. Ultimately, graduates of a program need to be able to handle any patient that walks into their future clinic – not just musculoskeletal problems; this consideration translates into the production of well-rounded TCM and Acupuncture professionals that have the confidence and clinical expertise to tackle any condition – from simple and easy to treat to complex and hard to treat. If a program in question solely relies on student placements in private clinics, it may be difficult for you to assess this in advance of being assigned to a clinic.
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ABOUT JJTCMC
We provide authentic clinic-oriented and affordable top quality Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture diploma programs, certificates, courses, and CEUs for all skill levels including but not limited to R.ACs, R.TCMPs, RMTs, PTs, D.Cs and the public.
MISSION
To provide the highest level of authentic Traditional Chinese Medicine instruction in order to produce quality Traditional Chinese Medicine professionals and thereby, by virtue of producing efficacious Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, promoting Traditional Chinese Medicine use to the general public. In short, our objective is to make quality Traditional Chinese Medicine professionals accessible to all and we start by ensuring access to quality Traditional Chinese Medicine education is affordable and flexible.
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