Pursuing a Career in Oriental Medicine

Over the last two decades, the number of patients utilizing acupuncture has tripled so there is higher demand for Oriental medicine practitioners. These professionals have studied both acupuncture and herbal medicine. The increased demand has furthermore increased the employment opportunities for such trained professionals. Therefore, it is important to attend a respected Oriental medicine school that will help further your career. If you are already in the healthcare industry, you may be able to incorporate Oriental medicine into your current work. If not, there are other employment options such as working with wellness clinics, chiropractors, spas, hospitals and opening your own private practice.

The increased demand for practitioners has also increased the number of schools training students in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. While this offers students more choices, it can also be confusing. In order to make sure that you are selecting the school that is best for your future career, research the schools convenient to you to ensure they have experienced faculty, a strong curriculum and provide clinical internships. If you plan on having your own practice, the school you choose should offer courses on business management.

While the curriculums vary, some of the courses you can expect to take are western and Oriental physiology and anatomy, channels and points, TCM diagnosis, several styles of acupuncture technique, herbology, physical arts and Asian bodywork among others. If the school is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) you will graduate with a Masters level degree.

The Graduate School of Oriental Medicine at New York College ofHealth Professions offers an ACAOM accredited ten-trimester, 185-credit program from which successful students graduate with a combined Bachelor of Professional Studies/Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine. To find out more about the Oriental Medicine Program or New York College of Health Professions, visit http://www.nycollege.edu/academics/school-of-oriental-medicine.