Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization

Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization (MAcCHM) provides the didactic and clinical training necessary for eligibility to sit for the national board exam to become a licensed acupuncturist.
Length of Program: 12 quarters, full time
Campus: Kenmore, Washington

Quick Facts

Location

Kenmore, Washington campus

General Requirements

Bachelor's degree or a minimum of 135 quarter credits
Grade C or better in prerequisite course work
Experience with acupuncture is recommended (i.e. have been treated by a licensed acupuncturist (LAc)

Length of Program

3 years, full time

Tuition and Financial Aid

Career Opportunities

Licensed acupuncturist (LAc) in private practice, with an integrative clinic
Acupuncturist working in international health
Writer on traditional Chinese medicine topics

See how our graduates use their degrees.

Summary

The curriculum of the MAcCHM is fortified with rigorous didactic and clinical training. Our students are trained in safe and effective care of patients and are skilled in both traditional Chinese medicine modalities AND Western health care disciplines. Bastyr’s community of students, faculty and staff nurtures each students’ own passion for East Asian medicine and challenges them to think beyond the borders of their own discipline. Students graduate as a highly qualified, broadly and deeply educated practitioners.

Licensure

Acupuncture is legally recognized in 47 states plus the District of Columbia. Learn more about state licensure.

Accreditation

The following programs offered by Bastyr University are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM):

Master of Acupuncture
Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization (currently named Master of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine)
Doctor of Acupuncture
Including a Doctor of Acupuncture degree completion track
Certificate in Chinese Herbal Medicine
Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Accreditation status and notes may be viewed on the ACAHM Directory. ACAHM is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the specialized accreditation agency for institutions/programs preparing acupuncture practitioners. ACAHM does not accredit any programs at the undergraduate/bachelor level. ACAHM is located at 8941 Aztec Drive, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55347; phone 952/212-2434; www.acahm.org

Prerequisites

Students have two entry options for the MAcCHM:

Option 1: Students may enter with a completed bachelor’s degree and the required prerequisite coursework. (see below)
Option 2: Students may enter the program without a bachelor’s degree, but must complete the required prerequisite coursework, in addition to the detailed general education requirements, totaling a minimum of 135 quarter credits.

Intermediate Algebra	1 course
General Chemistry (allied health-level with lab)^1,2	1 course
General Biology (allied health-level with lab)²	1 course
General Psychology	1 course
General Physics	1 course

Note: All students must complete a Basic Life Support CPR class (100% classroom-based) prior to entering clinic.

¹Survey-level class that covers inorganic chemistry and includes a lab component. Intended for students in allied-health majors.

²Science classes must have been taken within seven years of entering the program. If not, additional coursework may be required after the admissions committee review

Other Requisites for the MSAOM Program

AM4100, BC4104, BC4123, and BC4124 are requisite courses for the master's program. The MAc/MAcCHM curriculum has been designed so students missing one or more of these may take them after matriculating at Bastyr University. Previously completed coursework from other accredited institutions may satisfy these requisites.

Curriculum

The Department of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has established the following expected learning outcomes for the Master of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program. Graduates are trained to be:

Safe and effective in the care of patients by demonstrating in-depth ability in the following areas:
1. Knowledgeable of traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic strategies and their application to individual cases;
2. Skilled in the traditional methods of assessing patients, including interviewing, palpation and observation;
3. Competent in selecting the appropriate treatment modalities and plans for a patient utilizing acupuncture, tui na, Chinese herbs (relevant to the MAcCHM), lifestyle and dietary counseling, and other modalities within the scope of practice;
4. Skilled in the application of acupuncture techniques in an appropriate and safe fashion for each patient;
5. Physical examination, orthopedic and neurological assessment, and pain management;
6. Critical thinking using cognitive skills to increase the probability of desirable patient outcomes and the development of professional judgment.
Able to integrate Eastern and Western paradigms of medicine for the purposes of informing the practice of traditional Chinese medicine, communicating with other health care professionals and patients, and making appropriate medical referrals when necessary
Professional in their approach to setting up and maintaining a private practice, collaborating with other health care professionals, working in an integrated health care setting and providing leadership within the Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine field
Capable of accessing research information, critically assessing the value of published clinical research in the field
Able to provide health promotion and disease prevention measures based on traditional Chinese medicine theory (such as tai chi, qigong and therapeutic nutrition) to support the well-being of their patients and themselves
Qualified to pass national and state acupuncture and/or herbal exams

Reference the curriculum table in our course catalog for the course schedule, lecture and clinic hours and total contact hours.

Clinical Training

Becoming an effective practitioner of Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine (AEAM) involves close mentoring and instruction by experienced faculty members in a variety of patient-care settings.

Consistency and Quality in Training

AEAM clinical programs focus the majority of the clinic shifts in the University's Seattle teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health. Bastyr's Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine program is science-based, led highly qualified and experienced faculty, many of whom have been in practice more than 20 years in the United States and China.

This prepares the graduate for licensure in the 44 states (and District of Columbia) that legally recognize acupuncture.

Diverse Patient Population

During clinical training, students have the opportunity to provide care to a wide range of patients with a variety of medical conditions. There are different types of patient care shifts available to students:

General acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine
Immune wellness care for patients with HIV/AIDS
Integrated acupuncture and naturopathic medicine (for students enrolled in both programs)
Opportunities to rotate through off-site community care clinics that provide affordable health care to diverse populations, including seniors, low-income and immigrant communities.

Patient Contacts/Training Hours

Students obtain a minimum of 400 patient contacts, a requirement that ensures the ability to be successful as a graduate.
Students spend 44 preceptor hours shadowing and observing acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine professionals in their private practices.
The Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization contains 1092 clinical training hours.
Master’s degree students have the unique opportunity to study acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine at one of our sister schools in either Shanghai or Chengdu, China, under the leadership of Bastyr faculty. Learn more about the China externship