Department of Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine
Overview
East Asian medicine has ancient roots that are deeply tied to Chinese philosophy and culture, and which are an essential part of the present study of acupuncture. Chinese medicine is a coherent and independent system of thought and practice that has been developed over two thousand years. Grounded in ancient texts, Traditional Chinese Medicine has experienced a continuous process of critical thinking and development due to extensive refinement through clinical observation. The resultant perception of health and illness, the methods of diagnosis, therapeutics and techniques differ greatly from those of biomedicine. However, patient outcomes are often nothing less than remarkable.
Fortified with rigorous didactic and clinical training, our students graduate as highly qualified practitioners. They are trained in safe and effective care of patients and skilled in both traditional Chinese medicine modalities and Western health care disciplines. Bastyr’s community of students, faculty and staff will nurture
students' passion for East Asian medicine and challenge them to think beyond the borders of their own discipline.
Mission
The mission of the acupuncture and East Asian medicine programs at Bastyr University is to prepare highly competent health care professionals. This is accomplished through rigorous training in traditional Chinese medicine with a foundation in biomedical sciences and collaboration with other health care providers. The program is committed to producing graduates who are respected among their peers, who provide effective patient care, and who are dedicated to service in their community and engaged in lifelong learning in their field.
Required Abilities/Skills for Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine Program Students
A candidate for the acupuncture and East Asian medicine degree must be able to demonstrate appropriate observational and communication skills, motor function, intellectual-conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities, and behavioral and social maturity. A candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.
Observation: A candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation. These are enhanced by the functional use of the sense of smell.
Motor: Candidates should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers. A candidate should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients, such as CPR, application of pressure to stop bleeding and opening obstructed airways. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and functional use of the sense of touch and vision.
Observation and motor skills must be in coordination with each other in order to safely practice many of the diagnostic and clinical techniques specific to East Asian medicine. A combination of observation and motor skills is required for acquiring diagnostic information from patients, as well as for the clinical portion of the training, which includes the safe insertion and manipulation of acupuncture needles, cupping, moxibustion, etc.
Communication: A candidate should be able to speak, to hear and to observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications. A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients. Communication includes not only speech, but also reading and writing. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written form with all members of the health care team. Students whose first language is not English must satisfy the Department of Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine’s English language competency requirement as described in that General Admissions section.
Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis. Problem solving, which is a critical skill for health care practitioners, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the candidate should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.
Behavioral and Social Attributes: A candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of her/his intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that are assessed during the admissions and education processes.