Formation of scholars: Doctoral education in the field of acupuncture and Asian medicine

Purpose:Practitioners of acupuncture and Asian medicine have begun to engage in doctoral education yet the impact of doctoral level education on this medicinal discipline is yet to be fully evaluated. This research examines three graduated cohorts and assesses the impact of doctoral education on clinical practice, employment, integrated health care settings and professionalism.

Background:This research surveys and interviews Asian Medicine practitioners that completed the doctoral program at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM) in San Franciso, CA.. ACTCM began it's first doctoral cohort in fall 2006. The 2.5 year Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) program is offered in an intensive format basis. It is a case-based program, focusing on practical and advanced knowledge and skills, collaboration with other health care practitioners, and scholarly activities. Methods: Three graduated cohorts were surveyed and interviewed to assess and evaluate the impact that doctoral education has had on clinical practice, employment, integrated health care settings and professionalism. A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate both qualitative and quantitative information. Results This research project indicates that practitioners of acupuncture and Asian Medicine are entering doctoral programs for a variety of reasons and pursuing research in acupuncture, herbal medicine.Graduates that were surveyed indicated that there is value in doctoral level training and that this level of training is needed in order to move ahead in clinical practice, prepare to work in integrated healthcare settings, and to develop specialties in the field. Conclusion:There is a growing interest in inter professional medical education, integrated health care settings, and cross-disciplinary research.