Acupuncture School:
Educational Objectives & Measurements

The following objectives provide meaningful ways to measure progress toward fulfilling our mission, to produce successful practitioners.

Objective One
To provide a program of study of Oriental Medicine in its Chinese and Japanese traditions, leading to the awarding of the Master of Science in Oriental Medicine. AIMC Berkeley graduates will be able to do the following:

·      Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the foundations of Oriental Medicine theory

·      Effectively conduct interviews with patients and utilize traditional diagnostic methods, including tongue and pulse

·      Organize & analyze information to formulate an Oriental Medicine diagnosis and treatment plan

·      Choose appropriate modalities and techniques in order to provide patients effective Oriental Medical treatment

·      Select and locate functionally appropriate acupuncture points

·      Skillfully apply appropriate acupuncture techniques, including Japanese traditions

·      Select appropriate classical Chinese herbal formulae

·      Modify and customize herbal formulae when necessary

Objective Two
To provide an understanding of basic diagnostic and treatment procedures for the modern Oriental Medicine practitioner to facilitate optimal patient care through appropriate assessment, referral and collaboration with other healthcare providers. AIMC Berkeley graduates will be able to do the following:

·      Apply biomedical principles to arrive at potential diagnoses that recognize red flags and allow practitioners to refer patients appropriately.

·      Demonstrate knowledge of how to network, refer and collaborate with other healthcare providers in order to facilitate optimal patient care

·      Integrate knowledge of modern scientific standards of care for commonly seen medical conditions in patient care

·      Demonstrate use of evidence-based medicine & research in patient care

Objective Three
To provide students with the proficiency necessary to sit for and pass the California Acupuncture Licensing Exam (CALE) and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) examination(s). Once licensed, AIMC Berkeley practitioners shall become successful practitioners with their career in Oriental Medicine. They will be able to do following:

·      Feel competent as an Oriental Medical healthcare provider

·      Establish, manage and grow a successful private practice or work in clinics or hospitals with other health care providers.

·      Practice within professional, legal and ethical guidelines

Measurements:
We assess student achievement of our learning objectives through the following:

1. Successful completion and passage of didactic coursework
2. Successful completion and passage of the clinical internship program
3. Successful passage of comprehensive exams at various stages of the program
   1. Single Herb Comprehensive Exam: 5^th trimester
   2. Acupuncture Comprehensive Exam: 5^th trimester
   3. Herbal Formula Comprehensive Exam: 6^th trimester
   4. Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Comprehensive Exam: 10^th trimester
   5. Biomedicine Comprehensive Exam: 10^th trimester
   6. Pre-Clinical Comprehensive Practical: 5^th trimester
   7. Staged Clinical Competency Assessments
4. The eligibility to receive a MSOM for completion our program of study.

Additionally, we assess institutional achievement of our learning objectives through the following:

1. The number of students receiving our degree each year
2. Student, faculty, and alumni survey responses
3. The semi-annual percentages of students graduating from our program who pass licensing and certification exams