Clinical Training

Overview
Clinical training for semesters one and two are devoted solely to observation—a total of 180 hours. Observation begins in semester one with emphasis on front desk and reception duties—scheduling patients, patient filing system, greeting patients, patient forms, SOAP notation, and the organization of students’ own time to support scheduling for the clinic. Observation continues with emphasis on pharmacy procedures and equipment, storage of herbs, preparation of prescriptions, and interaction of senior interns and supervisors with patients. The third area of observation is familiarization with treatment room procedures and equipment and learning how to clean and prepare clinic rooms for treatment according to OSHA standards.

Semesters one and two provide students with a thorough foundation in Oriental medicine by systematically progressing through a broad spectrum of knowledge. First-year students begin their clinical training by observing more advanced students. Such exposure provides real-life application of the didactic course material. During semester two, interns observe actual treatments and interact with supervisors and senior interns following observations. Observing interns also restock treatment rooms, and, following universal precautions, clean and prepare treatment rooms and learn clinical office operations.

Semesters three and four lead to a more in-depth understanding of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, including advanced needling techniques. In the clinic, students begin to directly participate in diagnosis and treatment as they assist the supervising acupuncture physicians and senior interns in patient treatment. In semester three, interns learn pretreatment patient protocol, discuss diagnosis and treatment more extensively with supervisors and senior interns, and, under direct supervision, palpate pulses, use moxibustion and cupping, and perform Tui-Na and remove needles. Although observation also continues, interns are now assisting. In semester four, assisting continues but the primary emphasis is on treatment.

The fifth semester is devoted to an extensive and comprehensive study of Oriental herbal formulas and how they are prescribed. Students in the sixth semester enter the phase of semi-independent internship in the clinic. This advanced level of training provides senior interns the opportunity to actually practice under supervision. This final level of experience enables students to become complete and competent practitioners of Oriental medicine. During semesters four, five and six, interns focus on intake, diagnosis, treatment, health counseling, and record keeping—all leading to proficient clinical skills by the end of the program. Herbal knowledge and prescription preparation are also part of interns’ clinical experience—areas in which they must demonstrate proficiency.

Basic theory, diagnostic skills, clean needle technique, point location, Tui-Na, identification of disease patterns, first aid and CPR, and anatomy and physiology are offered in semesters one and two to form the foundation of knowledge required for clinical practice. Supervised practice in the classroom facilitates student confidence.

During semesters three and four, students receive more advanced theory and practice of Oriental medicine, including herbology, advance needling techniques, case studies, and practice management. In addition, Western biomedical science courses focus on microbiology, Western pathology, Western diagnostics, radiology, and more anatomy and physiology.

In semesters five and six, coursework focuses on herbology and herbal formulas, integration of herbal medicine and Western science, and the treatment of common diseases. Western pharmacology and clinical psychology further support students’ development as well-rounded clinicians, prepared to work in a Western healthcare environment.

Supervision of Clinical Training
The on-site clinic consists of ten large, well-equipped treatment rooms. At least two licensed supervising clinicians are always on duty. Supervision duties rotate among seven licensed practitioners.

Currently, FCIM has 106 students. Forty of the students are in the observation only phase of their clinical experience. The ratio of supervisors to the total number of interns scheduled into the clinic at any one time is about one to three treating interns. The ratio of supervisors to students is about one to three.

The monthly average of patients seen in the clinic is 550.
The weekly treatment hours (60 total) for the FCIM clinic follows:

Monday		8:00 am – 9:00 pm
Tuesday		8:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday		8:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday		8:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday		9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Saturday		9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday		closed

Student interns need to complete a minimum of 900 hours of clinical training over the six semesters of the program. Students’ clinical hours are carefully recorded and monitored by the Clinic Manager and the Records Administrator. Students are able to schedule their clinic hours using a computer program. Clinic hours for each semester are as follows:

Semester One		75 hours of Clinical Observation
Semester Two		105 hours of Clinical Observation
Semester Three		180 hours of Clinical - Internship
Semester Four		180 hours of Clinical - Internship
Semester Five		180 hours of Clinical Internship
Semester Six		180 hours of Clinical Internship

Each student intern must treat a minimum of 350 patients. Clinical training costs are included in tuition.

Student interns get to treat a variety of medical conditions in the clinic, including particularly chronic pain, respiratory problems, gynecological problems, some sexual dysfunction problems, and problems of depression. The Clinical Director and several of the clinical supervisors received their full TCM training or have received supplementary training in China, and all have extensive treatment experience. One supervisor also holds a doctorate with specialization in Chinese herbal medicine.

Assessment of Clinical and Technical Skills
The Assistant Academic Dean and the clinical supervisors assess interns’ clinical and technical skills through direct observation during the interns’ 900 clinic hours, which include a minimum of 350 patient treatments. Structured assessments of each student's skills are completed twice a semester. Forms for these assessments are provided in the Clinic Handbook.