Asian Institute of Medical Studies

Mission

Healing, teaching and transformation are three faces of one compassionate, skillful and wise intent. This intent is the common motive of AIMS that we will enact specifically:

• by awakening healing in individuals, one by one, so each may re-experience happiness and wholeness;
• by teaching the Asian arts of compassionate healing so that our family of healers may bring health and ease throughout the world; and,
• by transforming the root causes of disease and suffering within the greater context of society, environment and spirit so that all beings may re-experiennce the unobstructed joy of living.

In support of the Mission, the Institute will:

• Provide quality, diverse academic and clinical training to prepare ethical professional Asian medical practitioners possessing the skills to continue learning.
• Provide affordable quality clinical services to the public, utilizing the many Asian healing systems.
• Offer Continuing Education in both new and time honored Asian healing systems and methods.
• Increase public and allied health care awareness of the principles and practices of Asian medical systems.
• Support the development of high standards and professionalism in Asian medicine throughout our profession, the public, and allied health care.
• Promote effective, comprehensive, and compassionate health care by integrating Asian medical practices with other healing modalities.

Academic Year

The Asian Institute is on a quarterly schedule. Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters are each 12 weeks long (11 weeks didactic, 12 weeks clinic) with summer quarter being 8 weeks long with 10 weeks of clinic. Classes start every year as follows:

• Fall in September
• Winter in January
• Spring in April
• Summer in June

Curriculum

Masters Degree Programs
The Asian Institute offers two master's degree programs, the Master of Acupuncture (M.Ac.) and the Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAOM). The Master of Acupuncture Program is three years in length and the Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is three and a half years in length. Both programs meet the standards established by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). Each program follows the core curriculum as outlined by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and qualifies graduates for licensure in the State of Arizona. The programs were designed for full time study, however, part-time individualized course sequencing can be developed for students unable to attend full time. The M.Ac. program must be completed within five years, the MAOM program must be completed within six years.

The Asian Institute's programs have been specifically designed to educate students in the philosophical understanding of Asian medicine, the full range of human energy systems, differential diagnosis, problem solving, and treatment techniques using traditional Chinese medicine and other forms of Asian healing. The education also consists of a strong western clinical medicine component, giving students the tools with which to understand western medical sciences and assessment techniques. Integration of Eastern and Western medicine is the natural outcome of the infusion of Western biomedicine with the essence of Eastern understanding.

A third component is the Clinical Internship Program. This portion of the curriculum focuses on expanding classroom education through integration and experience in a clinical setting. This begins in the first year and proceeds through progressive and increasingly independent phases until the clinic faculty are confident that students have demonstrated safe and effective care.

From the President

What distinguishes the Asian Institute of Medical Studies is our perspective on consciousness and how that influences our approach to healing. It is not just about treating patients, it is about healing ourselves, our families, our society and our planet. It is an ineffable quality. We try to express this orientation in the classroom, in our clinic, and in our relations with our community and other allied health care professionals. It is about the discipline of embodying the essence of Eastern thought and fusing it with the developing concepts of Western body/mind/spirit medicine. This holistic understanding allows for a far greater point of view when working with each other and our patients.

Those of us turning our attention to the study of acupuncture and Oriental medicine are looking for a deeper way of accessing the energies of the body/mind/spirit. Some may meditate daily, do taiji or qigong as part of a spiritual practice. Many connect with the Spirit of the Earth through outdoor activities. Some may practice the art of giving through community service. These activities exemplify the spirit of balance, an essential component in healing and living a full rich life. These are qualities we are looking for in our students.

It is my personal opinion that as a species we are on the brink of an evolutionary change in consciousness, and I believe the ancient healing arts from the East are a part of facilitating that shift. We are multi- dimensional energetic beings composed of physical bodies, emotions, mental activities, and spiritual aspirations. We need to tap into these levels of ourselves to know our full potential. This will allow us to bring about the healing of others, as well as the transformation of who we are.

The Asian Institute of Medical Studies is looking for mature students who are willing to move beyond the limited social constructs that have programmed us to think in certain narrow ways. Paradoxically, ancient systems of healing are avenues to discover the true beauty of what it is to be human and show us how to be present with each other in order to heal. I invite you to join us in this extraordinary journey.

If you are interested in any of our programs and would like to find out more, please Request Information.