Education and History

[Guest guest]

I believe we are at a crossroads in our professional history that is

not unlike one allopathic physicians were at a little over 100 years

ago. Remember that in the 19th century the average American

physician had only limited formal education. It was possible to

enter

a medical school directly after high school and complete the program

in

as little as a few months. Often these schools of medicine gave

exams

as requirements for graduation. A student could take the exams as

many

times as they wanted and as soon as they passed they graduated. At

that time there was also only minimal licensure requirements in only

a few states.

 

Then one medical school decided that they needed to raise the bar so

that medicine in this country would become a respectable profession.

John Hopkins decided that it would begin granting Medical Doctor

degrees (as opposed to Medical Bachelor, the most common degree

across the world even today) only after an applicant completed

undergraduate studies and then 3-4 years of medical school. The idea

was to create a special elite of physician/scientists. Other schools

such as Harvard Medical School (which originally was a short program)

met the same standard because they didn't want to look bad.

Eventually,

that high standard became the norm in the U.S.

 

Chinese medical education in the U.S. began with programs less than

one year long don't forget. Eventually the length of programs

increased to what it is today and standards have increased also. If

the bar is raised higher by a few elite schools and if the states

begin

requiring higher standards (Rhode Island is currently trying to raise

the minimum level of training to no less than 3100 hours in no less

than 36 months for example) then other schools will follow.

Physicians

at the end of the 19th century also predicted that if the standards

were too high nobody would make the effort and go to school. As we

can

see, this was not what happened. When the standards are raised the

students will still come.

 

In my experience, I don't think that many students entering Chinese

medical training in this country really see themselves as physicians

(which in my opinion they should). People going into Chinese

medicine should understand that they are practicing medicine, not an

adjunctive therapy used in addition to " real " medical treatment.

Even

a single needle should be revered and treated as if a tiger grasped

by

its tail.

 

I also think there needs to be a distinction between training that

entails only acupuncture training and an education that involves

herbal studies as well. In China, all TCM students learn herbs as

well

as acupuncture, even if they specialize in acupuncture. In countries

like Japan where one studies only acupuncture, it is a 2-3 year post-

highschool education (which accounts for the relativly low social

status of acupuncturists in Japan). Perhaps in this country, like in

places like Korea, we can establish several levels of training. We

can have Licensed Acupuncturists who practice only acupuncture with 3

yrs. of schooling and in addition Doctors of Oriental Medicine who

undergo a more rigorous training and then can work with a greater

range

of modalities including herbal therapies.

 

Anyway, just some thoughts. Sorry this post is so long. Anyone

interested in a very interesting discussion of the history of medical

education and the growth of the medical establishment in the U.S. can

see " The Social Transformation of American Medicine " by Paul Starr.

 

Henry

 

 

Henry McCann, D.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. & C.H. (NCCAOM)

henry