College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

Southern California University of Health Sciences, the College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CAOM) is established to reflect the same innovation, curriculum style and dedication to excellence that has existed on campus for almost a hundred years.

The College offers a Master's degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAOM), a science that is gaining widespread popularity for those individuals preferring alternative health care disciplines.

"The academic education and clinical experience I received at SCU gave me the confidence to start my practice shortly after graduation. Each day I am able to use all of the skills and knowledge I learned at SCU to treat my patients and help them regain health and learn to lead a healthy life style." --Tevy Hysell, LAc, 05'

Why SCU College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine?

• Accreditations include:
  Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and California State Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine approval program.
• Day & Evening Programs
• Tranquil environment over a 38-acre campus provides an active and vibrant learning environment.
• Highly esteemed and innovative faculties including on-campus research for current and related acupuncture and oriental medicine studies.
• Hands on learning: early exposure in clinical environment to develop first hand clinical skills as a practitioner.
• Technological advanced classrooms.
• One of a kind on-site radiology lab.
• Practical human dissection anatomy lab.
• Varies health clinic locations serving various communities.
• Flexible schedules: full-time, part-time and professional track available.
• California Board review as part of curriculum

Curriculum

At SCU, studying to become an acupuncture/oriental medicine practitioner is an integrated step-by-step process. Each class, each lab and each experience builds on one another--helping you to evolve into the natural healer you long to be and preparing you to work in an integrated health care delivery system.

Here's how it works:

Terms 1-3: Becoming Knowledgeable

• Become familiar with the human body.
• Practice your knowledge on real people through our standardized patient program.
• Explore the differences--and the similarities--between western and eastern medicine.
• Uncover the healing powers of 300 single herbs.
• Diagnose illness by studying a person's tongue and taking a pulse.
• Balance yin and yang through nutritional therapy.

Terms 4-6: Becoming Confident

• Identify over 360 acupuncture points and 14 meridians by practicing on a partner.
• Conduct physical examinations, take medical histories, make clinical diagnoses and devise therapeutic treatment plans.
• Test your knowledge--and the quality of our program--with the Acupuncture Competency Exam I.
• Learn the adverse effects of prescription drugs on the human body.
• Discover the healing effects of Tui Na/massage and acupressure.
• Learn to analyze, formulate and prescribe herbs.

Terms 7-9: Becoming Successful

• Develop the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for clinical practice through three phases of hands-on internships at the University Health Center.
• Become certified in Clean Needles Technique (CNT) through a class at SCU.
• Begin the process of licensure preparation with the Acupuncture Competency Exams II and III.
• Learn how to expel dampness, calm the spirit and reduce food stagnation with herbal formulas.
• Define Taiyang, Shaoyang, Yangming, Taiyin, Shaoyin and Jueyin.
• Discover the most commonly seen internal medicine diseases in an OM Internal Medicine class.

The Learning Experience

The College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine follows of lead of its sister college at SCU, Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, in constructing a quality academic system reflecting the goals and objectives of the ADVANTAGE Program, with an emphasis on abilities, competencies and comprehensive internship/preceptorships. Southern California University of Health Sciences is known throughout the world for its excellence in the basic sciences--a clear benefit over other institutions offering acupuncture and oriental medicine programs.

Prerequisites for Admission

Prerequisites for the MAOM program include at least two years (60 semester/90 quarter credits) of education at the baccalaureate level from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Additional college courses must be taken in biology, chemistry, physics and psychology.

SCU - Location

We are proud to claim southern California as our home and tend to think everything that it offers as a bonus for being here. SCU is situated in a quiet residential neighborhood, just minutes from historic Uptown Whittier and 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The University has inexhaustible riches in its backyard: languages, businesses, culture, architecture, arts, geography, religion, history and science--an exciting and safe place to live and study.

Now It's Your Turn

We invite you to contact our office of admission to speak with a counselor about the College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or to arrange a campus visit. It's your turn to become a leader in one of the most gratifying professions available today: an alternative health care practitioner.

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