AIMC Berkeley ABOUT US
INSTITUTIONAL MISSION & VISION
MISSION
The mission of Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College, Berkeley is to develop caring, proficient, and successful practitioners who serve our communities and the East Asian medicine profession by treating illness and promoting health and wellness. AIMC Berkeley promotes patient-centered integrative medicine focused on treating the whole person, with consideration for both traditional and contemporary medical models and other factors that influence health, wellness, and disease.
VISION
AIMC Berkeley supports the following vision:
- To serve as a center for the promotion of health and wellness and care of the community through education, outreach, and patient care with a focus on diverse patient populations including BIPOC, LGBT, and low income individuals.
- To serve as a center for international collaboration in the development of acupuncture and East Asian medicine within the concept of integrative medicine
AIMC Berkeley’s Strategic Plan outlines the institution’s goals and strategies for meeting our mission and vision.
PAST & PRESENT
The Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College-Berkeley formerly known as Meiji College of Oriental Medicine (MCOM) was established in San Francisco, California in 1990 by the Meiji School of Oriental Medicine in Japan and its alumni. The first class was enrolled in September of 1991. In January 1999, the school relocated to Berkeley, California in order to provide its students with a higher quality facility and a better educational environment. In 2002, Dr. Shuji Goto assumed an appointment as a chairman of the board for the MCOM. In April 2003 the name of the school was changed to Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College, Berkeley (AIMC, Berkeley) and new management has started under the new chairman’s leadership.
Since 2003, AIMC has been a pioneer in the development of Integrative Medicine, shifting the paradigm from “Western vs. Eastern Medicine” to an integrative approach. Our school was even the first to incorporate Integrative Medicine into our program name. With this new paradigm in mind, AIMC introduced the curriculum of Japanese Acupuncture and Kampo Medicine into our programs, and the goals were set to take a leadership role for further development of Asian Medicine in the US. AIMC was accredited by ACAOM under its new name in May 2004.
Today AIMC continues to develop its programs and professional affiliations. In 2017 we launched a new Master’s curriculum that improved and streamlined the program so that it could be completed in 10 terms, or a little over 3 years. We have recently developed a First Professional Doctorate degree that launched in 2019.
“AIMC Berkeley prides itself on our accomplished faculty, our inclusive student community, and our integrated approach to medicine.”
AIMC BERKELEY VALUES DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
At AIMC Berkeley we celebrate and strive to create an inclusive culture for all people of all identities. This includes, but is not limited to, sexual orientation, gender identity and presentation, racial identity, nationality, ability, belief system or religion, citizenship, socioeconomic status, and any identity that faces institutionalized oppression.
This year AIMC Berkeley celebrates its 30th anniversary and takes a new step forward with a greater commitment towards BIPOC/LGBTQ sensitivity and environmentally sustainable medicine. As an educational institution and health provider, we are committed to fighting injustices on all levels.
Racism is a disease which is contagious and transmitted over generations. It is a pathogen undetectable by medical testing equipment, and can be viewed as a toxic phenomenon that has permeated our society for centuries. Traditional East Asian medicine has treated various forms of pathogenic phenomena for over two thousand years, and can also be used to combat the harmful effects of racism through the nurturing of mind/body/spirit, and adopting a lifestyle approach of comprehensive and ongoing care for oneself and others.
Our medicine focuses on the root or cause of a disease – “What is the root of the ailment?” Similarly, we must ask, “What is the root of discrimination?” “What are the causes of environmental issues?” What we often uncover is a sense of privilege hidden in the deep layers of consciousness, such as white privilege, cisgender privilege, and human privilege over nature. Mind/body/spirit medicine works to address the pathogenic aspects of consciousness that are at the root of discrimination and environmental contamination.
Ancient Chinese philosophers explored the laws of the universe and identified “Tao,” “Tai-chi,” and “Qi” as the energy underlying all existence. This ancient philosophy states that the law of nature is ever-changing, with the ultimate focus and goal of all changes being the achievement of “evolution” and “harmony.” Change is always needed in the pursuit of improvement and peace.
AIMC Berkeley is proud to be a part of the City of Berkeley. As members of the Berkeley community, we strive to be pioneers of change and support community members who are suffering. We vow to serve all people in an effort to restore a healthy and peaceful existence aligned with the ancient philosophy of ongoing evolution and ultimate harmony.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
AIMC Berkeley recognizes that our school is located on lands that are the ancestral home of the Ohlone people. Lisjan Ohlone leaders in the East Bay today are the descendants of the survivors of genocidal terror and colonization. We mourn the loss of Indigenous lives and wisdom and offer deep gratitude to the survivors who are building and visioning the path to healing.
In recognition of all this, AIMC Berkeley proudly supports the work of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust & pays voluntary annual Shuumi Land Tax. As a voluntary “tax,” the Shuumi land tax contributes to the important work of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, which includes tending the land, growing traditional crops and medicinal plants, revitalizing ancestral practices, the creation of an emergency response hub, and educational outreach efforts. We encourage all of our community members to calculate & give their Shuumi Land Tax.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS & OBJECTIVES
AIMC offers the Master of Traditional Asian Medicine and the Doctor of Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine degree programs. These programs comprise the primary academic focus of AIMC Berkeley. Our faculty, curriculum, and clinical instruction promote the education and training of compassionate, successful, well-rounded practitioners; and our learner-centered, competency-based educational philosophy fosters lifelong learning and personal
improvement.
The mission of AIMC Berkeley’s Master of Traditional Asian Medicine (MSTAM) and Doctor of Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (DAIM) programs are to educate students to become knowledgeable, skilled, and professional practitioners of acupuncture and Integrative medicine. Upon completion of the MSTAM program, graduates of AIMC Berkeley will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the principles and practices of acupuncture and Chinese medicine
- Apply the principles and practices of acupuncture and Chinese medicine to patient care
- Describe the broad traditions in both Chinese and Japanese medicine
- Demonstrate clinical effectiveness in patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment
- Make informed and appropriate referrals to other healthcare providers
- Practice within established ethical, legal, and professional guidelines
- Apply the principles of successful practice management
In addition, graduates of the DAIM program will be able to:
- Utilize research methodology for research projects
- Creatively synthesize the theories of traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine with a scientific viewpoint
- Collaborate with a broad range of health care providers on incorporating the modalities of Chinese and Japanese medicine in patient care
ONGOING LEARNING
AIMC Berkeley advocates for continuing education after graduation and licensure. We provide a variety of certificate programs and CEU courses, as well as classes, seminars, and workshops for professionals, students, and community members interested in enhancing their understanding of East Asian Medicine and the art of healing.
SUCCESSFUL PRACTITIONERS
AIMC Berkeley-trained practitioners are successful because they attain MAc. and DAc. degrees, pass state and national certification exams with high first-time pass rates, and gain licensure. Furthermore, AIMC Berkeley-trained practitioners enjoy success because they graduate as skilled, confident, and compassionate healers who truly love what they’re doing with their lives, are happy serving in their communities, and are dedicated to making a difference in the world – one patient at a time.
COMMUNITY & PARTNERSHIPS
AFFORDABLE PATIENT-BASED HEALTHCARE
AIMC Berkeley endeavors to maintain the therapeutic treatment of patients in our community at the highest level of our activities. Our educational programs, research, and student and professional clinics target the beneficial, effective, holistic, and compassionate treatment of individuals rather than merely the fighting of disease. AIMC Berkeley is dedicated to providing effective healthcare to under-served populations, including women, children, youth, students, the elderly, minorities, and those who are economically disadvantaged and without access to medical insurance. Our Community Acupuncture Clinic and Herbal Dispensary offer office visits, treatments, services, and prescriptions at below local market rates.
OUR COMMUNITY
AIMC Berkeley recognizes the diversity of the community it serves. The people of Berkeley, Oakland, and Alameda County comprise our societal center; however, our patients, and especially our students, are drawn from throughout the entire Bay Area, Northern and Southern California, the United States, and many other countries. The participation with and interchange between our sister schools in Japan and China broaden and deepen our alliance with and commitment to Integrative Medicine. As an academic community, AIMC Berkeley finds within itself a vibrant and dynamic society composed of patients, students, faculty, administrators, and directors.
SISTER SCHOOLS
AIMC Berkeley has developed international partnerships and study-abroad programs in China and Japan as a part of ongoing collaborations with Goto College of Medical Arts and Sciences in Japan, Shikoku Medical College in Japan, and Tianjin University in China.
These programs give AIMC Berkeley students the opportunity to spend several weeks studying in China or Japan and to learn from leading international practitioners of Chinese and Japanese medicine.
INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Testimonials
© 2020 AIMC BERKELEY. All Rights Reserved. Site by Oozle Media Privacy Policy