random

[Guest guest]

Some random thoughts about what Bob and others have written:

 

 

>Most of my chinese teachers informed me that they did not practice

acupuncture at any time after early in TCM college before coming to the US.

 

Some of my colleagues from China have confessed that they actually

did little TCM since graduating school. But I think we've had this

discussion before.

 

I tend to come back to the thought that the vastness of the Chinese

TCM system allows some to be practitioners, others scholars, others

researchers, etc.... The PhD program in China, from what I've heard,

is thought to take one away from patient care and into academics. It

is only here in the West that TCM's ultimate goal is the private

practice and that 100K practice hopefully. I don't know of any of my

graduates or colleagues who are practicing in hospitals but sounds

good to me. I know that despite (or maybe because of) my independent

streak I tend to do better in small businesses and institutions than

on my own.

 

If I had any criticism of the schools it is that after the second

year everything was a repeat of Zang-fu syndromes and it seemed the

whole world was filtered through that. " Advanced " training seemed to

be the esoteric smatterings that seemed more dangerous than helpful.

But we've had this discussion before.

 

also in response to Bob's lengthy post a few day's back, it seems

that most schools I've seen were started by practitioners who had too

many patients and wanted other ways to put their knowledge to use.

Again, there is the assumption that not enough patients is failure,

100K is success.

 

I don't see any way around this system, at least as I see it in

California, as long as we have to treat every disease that comes

through the door to maintain a (private) practice.

doug

 

 

> I

>have read other reports that actual classroom training was pretty skimpy. It

>was my understanding that one did little or no acupuncture in clinical

>rotations if one chose nei ke. I appreciate the detailed curriculum

>you listed.

>

>While not debating the value of acupuncture, my point is merely that one does

>not have to study these 616 hours to practice internal medicine and I wish

>that was an option. There are different wys we could use those

>hours instead.

>Options keep down health and education costs. Why do we need a monolithic

>profession.