Program Overview

This program consists of two years of didactic instruction in Acupuncture Sciences and related subjects, plus a year and a half Clinical Internship.

Seminars

Wu Hsing Tao School offers four day intensive seminars from Friday through Monday (9:00am 5:30pm) approximately every other month. Between Seminars there is the corresponding practicum, applied research assignments, point location lab, and literary research. There are 11 Seminars during the Didactic Instruction. Each Seminar day begins with a meditative discipline, such as Taichi, calligraphy, sitting mediation, and Chinese (sumi) brush painting to prepare the student for the day’s intensive learning. Seminar content consists of Acupuncture Sciences which includes the fundamental principles of Traditional Five Element acupuncture and diagnosis, pathology and therapeutics, meridians and points, indications, spirit use, needling-technique, and intent. There is also a strong emphasis on Five Element Psychology, which has a special focus on developing each student as an instrument of healing.

Applied Research

The Applied Research Assignments (ARA’s) challenge the student to take the material learned in the classroom out into the field, and research how these aspects of the system apply to their life, their environment, and the nature around them, as a preparation for seeing all of this in their patients. After a period of time engaged in the field research, the student is expected to write about these observations. The ARA’s reflect the student’s depth and integration of their classroom and empirical learning.

Practicum/Point Location

In between each Seminar, students attend Practicum / Point Location classes twice a month on a Friday or Saturday. The Practicum is designed to assist the students in their challenge to develop their senses as part of their ability to diagnose their patients. Even though the procedure and the nature of seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling and pulse-taking is explained in detail in class, the students can only develop these skills in their “field work.” After hours of practice and receiving constructive feedback in Practicum, then the students can cultivate these skills with proficiency. The Practicum consists of exercises, group discussions, pulse-taking practice, questions and feedback. During Point Location, students of all levels meet to practice locating the points on the body, mark on each other, and then are approved, corrected and receive feedback from a Supervisor. Having sufficient contact with fellow students that are at various stages of development creates a more interactive experience and community.

Clinical Internship

In the 3rd year, the student enters their Clinical Internship. This phase represents a new level of responsibility for the student. The Intern is expected to draw upon all learning and knowledge gained during the first two years of study in order to apply it in the treatment of real patients, as well as learning the responsibilities of a health care provider. The Intern receives detailed instructions and is closely supervised for all procedures. Interns start off with one shift per week, and then move on to two shifts per week. Interns also attend Clinical Skills Development (CSD) Workshop once a month on Saturdays and Sundays, where they receive additional guidance.

Biomedical Western Sciences

Before students can enter their Clinical Internship, they must complete all Biomedical Western Science requirements. Biomedical Western Science courses are separate from the didactic instruction Seminars, yet follow a similar weekend seminar based format. Students gain a solid foundation of basic and biomedical sciences in order to understand the implications - from a conventional medical standpoint - of the conditions a patient may present, and be able to communicate with practitioners from other medical fields. WHTS offers Anatomy & Physiology, Survey of Western Science/Pathology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, CPR, and HIV/AIDS Training.