Reporter Dai Min Kong reported at San Francisco:
"Recently,
American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM) at
San Francisco and famous Kaiser Permanente an HMO hospital
had a jointed venture let in the traditional Chinese Medicine to
their health tremendously. College President LiXin Huang expresses,
this is a great step for Traditional Chinese Medicine in the
western medical world. To joint and coordinate Chinese Medicine into
western medicine is the main focus of the college, since Chinese Medicine
appeared more and more influential in the western medical world.
American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine was established at
1980 and had first set of graduates at 1983. The College is recognized by the
American Education Board as credit medical school with four years medical master program. Currently has 160 plus students enrolled. The College is a not-for-profit organization, has student aids, college grands and
scholarships available to the students. The school board are a collection of famous scholars, medical doctors and top businessman.
President Huang states: the school is emphasized in their high qualification of professors and administration staffs, majority of the professors are well known in their specialty and / or highly recognized medical doctor in their field. Professor Liang Tin Hui is the current vice president of the National Acupuncture Board. Chinese Medical College has to get the American's Department of Education credidation.
ACTCM has made great effort to create the opportunity to coordinate Chinese Medicine with Western Medicine, majority students and patients are Americans. They have utilized the Chinese Medical theory to treat and maintain the health of AIDS patients for the past six years with great success. The federal has continuously providing grands to treat the AIDS patient, their immune system has wether improved or maintained, patients response are highly favorable.
This year, health Department of San Francisco has inspected the AIDS treatment program, all aspect of treatments were at the highest standard again, the College is getting about two hundred eighty thousand dollars in subsidies. Besides treating the AIDS patients at the school clinic, they also have office hours set up at the San Francisco health Department clinic one and two. They are the first group of Chinese Medical professions get into the city Department of Health. School clinic and Mission clinic of the city Department of Health are providing free clinic every Wednesday morning to all patients.
ACTCM has just sighned the agreement with U.C. San Francisco Medical Research and Treatment group to study breast cancer's prevention and treatment. The College is negotiation with U.C.S.F. to offer Chinese Medical classes at their medical school as part of the curriculum. Last summer, ACTCM was one of the college invited to U.C. Long Beach to promote Chinese Medicine, they have worded with Columbia university to provide the basic Chinese Medical information. ACTCM also exchanges medical experience with Chinese Medical college in Japan, Canada, Israel, Brazil and China, etc. to broaden their contact with the world.
Predisent Huang believes, the development of Chinese Medicine in America has a great future. More and more American realize that western medicine is not 100% perfect. There are areas the Chinese Medicine are far superior and when western medicine are helpless, then the Chinese Medicine create miracles. Currently ACTCM is aiming the development of higher education in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Scientific development, preventive health and health maintenance, standardize state and federal rules and regulations for the Chinese Medical professions in the America.
As for the educational goals: besides using English to teach Tradition Chinese Medicine, they are also enroll Asian students with medical profession background, who's English weren't so fluency to credit their medical effort and recertificate for the license. Responses are overwhelming, a welcome gesture. This year, at the California state board acupuncture license examination, the passing rate for written was 100% and practical was 92% out of all ACTCM graduates whom participated at the exam. The Doctoral program is foreseeing in the neat future, and the scientific development project is undergo to produce potent new formula in Chinese drugs. To provide treatment and promote preventive medicine, provide professional medical services, develop and incorporation of treatment with both western and Chinese medicine, introducing Tradition Chinese Medicine, let American understand Chinese medicine and benefit from it; are few of their ultimate goals.
Now, Blue Shield expresses their interest in Tradition Chinese Medicine. They through the Chinese Medicine is effective and at lower cost, especially, treats the root of the disease plus the benefit of the preventive measure. The patient inquiring and seeking for Chinese Medicine treatments are a rapid growing market and highly in demand. The treatment standards and the charges for the treatment, etc., need futher investigation. ACTCM has already working with the major insurance companies to set up the treatment standards, rules and regulations, service charges etc. in the direction of letting Tradition Chinese Medicine into the mainstream western medical field."
(Translated by Ping Chen, a current ACTCM student).Current student enrollment is 260 plus students. Standford University has already offered the Tradition Chinese Medicine as one of the medical school classes and will continuous to offer the class. Many major insurance company will reimburse Chinese medical treatment under the workman's compensation, if it is job related. Blue Shield is offering the Tradition Chinese Medicine treatment plan at this time. At ACTCM clinic, currently is treating 900 plus patients per month. For more information about ACTCM, visit their Website:
www.actcm.org or E-mail:Ihuang@actcm.org.
There are other Tradition Chinese Medical Schools throughout out the U.S. Check your Internet under Chinese Medical School or Tradition Chinese Medicine. You can also get the Chinese medical school lists from your local library, they will do a search for you.
For further information please Email: penny.wang@nyjpw.org.