Should TCM students/practitioners try tobecome fluent in Chinese?

January 29, 2003

Rory Kerr wrote:

> I wonder if the SIOM students have the same exposure to the broad

> range of herbs and formulas the students get in the more standard

> programs. If they are problem solving, then their studies of the

> herbs and formula may be more focused and efficient, but within a

> smaller range of possibilities.

I was exposed to no shortage of formulas in school, but I never remember

them till I need to use them for a patient or other requirement.

I think that the way to fill in the blanks of this kind of education is

to teach students how to research a formula for a patient who displays a

new pathology.

As a practitioner, I've learned two things. Which formulas to use for

which pathologies, AND which books to research those things that I don't

know. Both are necessary skills.

--

Al Stone L.Ac.

<AlStone

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

January 29, 2003

At 11:21 AM -0800 1/29/03, Al Stone wrote:

>I think that the way to fill in the blanks of this kind of education is

>to teach students how to research a formula for a patient who displays a

>new pathology.

--

Well yes, but we do that in conventional programs surely, so that

would not be unique to SIOM. I'd be interested to know in what ways

the SIOM program achieves a better outcome (assuming it does), once

you factor out the better prepared entering students. Is it the

personal attention/small class size, or is it the inclusion of

Chinese language requirements, or what is it? If it is the Chinese

language requirements, then that would be strong evidence against the

arguments here that time would be better spent on 'more clinically

applicable' pursuits.

Rory

--

Recommended Posts