Oregon College of Oriental Medicine

Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) was one of the first acupuncture and traditional Oriental medicine institutions to be established in the United States, and has more than 27 years of experience teaching, guiding and advancing wellness. Located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, OCOM trains master's and doctoral students in acupuncture and traditional Oriental medicine by integrating classical theory with a modern, practical approach to health and wellness. Our programs offer a wide-ranging, hands-on course of study that incorporates acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutrition, Oriental therapeutic massage (shiatsu, tuina), and a fundamental approach to qi cultivation (qigong, taiji quan) for a comprehensive understanding of this transformative medicine.

OCOM's two teaching clinics offer faculty practice and Intern Teaching Clinics providing affordable health care for an estimated 2,000 patient visits each month. The on-campus Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic offers a full-service, 18-treatment room medical facility and traditional Chinese herbal dispensary. Hollywood Square Clinic provides acupuncture treatments in Portland's historic Hollywood neighborhood.

OCOM students are also uniquely positioned to enjoy the region's bountiful mix of recreational opportunities and natural beauty – ocean beaches, snow-covered alpine peaks, dense old-growth forest, rushing rivers, high desert – all within a 100-mile radius of Portland. Fans of cycling, thriving arts scenes, sustainable development, organic foods, crafted microbrews and local wines will find a home here. Portland is consistently ranked among the most livable cities in the country.

• #1 – "Top 3 Green Destinations," Corporate Meetings & Incentives (July 2010)
• #1 – Greenest City in America, Popular Science (February 2008)
• #1 – Cityscape and #1 Environmental Awareness, CNN/Travel + Leisure (October 2007)
• #1 – "America's Best Cities for Summer Travel" Travel + Leisure (June 2010)
• #5 – America's 10 Cleanest Cities, Forbes.com (March 2008)
• Portland's Waterfront Loop: one of "America's Coolest Riverwalks," Travel + Leisure (August 2010)
• #9 – Top 25 Fittest Cities in the United States, Men's Fitness (February 2007)
• #1 – Number of people who bike to work, U.S. Census Bureau
• One of the "Best Beer Cities for Travelers to Visit," Huffington Post (August 2010)
• Portland named one of the "U.S. & Canada's Best Places to Eat," Food & Wine (August 2010)

Admissions and Financial Aid

Early Application deadline is January 15; applicants submitting completed applications by this date receive a waiver of the $50 application fee. After May 15, applications will be accepted and processed until the incoming class and waiting list are full. Prospective students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as classes fill quickly. Students are eligible to apply for Federal Financial Aid (through subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans). An OCOM Board of Trustees scholarship is also available.

Community Outreach

OCOM students and faculty regularly provide informational presentations and sample treatments to a wide variety of businesses, health fairs, free public events and community groups, offering vital community service and learning opportunities. Providing such outreach is a required component of students' studies.

Faculty

The college's nationally-recognized faculty, many of whom often travel to China for continued study, successfully train OCOM students to be skilled and adept practitioners, rather than mere academicians. Their instruction and mentoring has led to OCOM's 2009 pass rate of 93 percent*.

*National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)

Research

OCOM's Research Department provides leadership, expertise and innovation in the areas of research participation, research literacy and research-informed clinical practice. We encourage students and faculty to value research as a bridge between traditional and conventional systems of medicine. The master's curriculum includes a research course series.

Accreditation

OCOM's Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAcOM) program and Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) program are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM)*, which is the recognized accrediting agency for the approval of programs preparing acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners. ACAOM is located at 7501 Greenway Center Drive, Suite 760, Greenbelt, Maryland 20770.

OCOM has been advanced to candidacy status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) at the master's and doctoral degree levels. NWCCU: 8060 165th Ave. NE, Suite 100, Redmond, WA 98052.

*ACAOM is not currently recognized by the US Department of Education for its candidacy or accreditation reviews with respect to doctoral programs in the field.

Contact Us Today!

Learn more about OCOM and a career in acupuncture and Oriental medicine by attending one of our regular Admissions Seminars. Prospective students can learn about the master's program curriculum, clinical opportunities, Federal Financial Aid and admissions requirements. Meet current students, observe an acupuncture demonstration and take a campus tour.