Teaching Chinese Medicine in America

In the mid -1950's, the first modern universities of TCM were founded in China. The mission of these schools was to take the classic teachings and clinical practices of Chinese medicine, apply a scientific approach, and develop a modern educational system. This educational model became the Chinese standard for TCM education. The curriculum in the Midwest College's programs closely follow these standards which have been refined over the last fifty years to meet contemporary health care needs.

The core teaching sections are:

• Yin -Yang / The Five Phases
• The Five Zang Organs / The Six Fu Organs / The Extraordinary Fu Organs
• The Relationship among the Zang-Fu Organs
• Qi / Blood / Body Fluid / The Relationship between Qi, Blood, and Body Fluid
• Basic Concept of the Meridians / Twelve Regular Meridians / Eight Extra Meridians
• Classification and Nomenclature of Acupoints / Methods of Locating points
• Therapeutic Properties of the Points of the Twelve Meridians and Eight Extra Meridians
• Etiology and Pathogenesis
• Diagnostic Methods / Looking / Listening and Smelling / Inquiry / Palpation
• Differentiation of Syndromes according to Eight Principles
• Differentiation of Syndromes according to Qi and Blood / Differentiation of Syndromes according to the Zang-Fu Organs / Differentiation of Syndromes according to Meridians
• Principles of Treatment Strategy / Therapeutic Methods / Basic Principles for Prescription and Selection of Points / The Basic Principles for Selection and Prescription of Herbs and Formulas
• Qi - Blood - Fluid Syndromes / Zang-Fu Syndromes / Syndromes Caused by Exogenous Factors
• Diseases categorized by the Body Systems / Traumatology

Zang fu organ and meridian theory, the basis of Chinese medicine, are a clinical model of the physiological function and pathological changes that affect health and disease in the human body. The essential functions of the meridian system are to transport Qi and blood and to resist the invasion of exogenous pathogenic factors. This theory has been the guiding principle for clinical practice in TCM in both ancient and modern times. By combining meridian theory with the principles of the zang fu organs, the pathology of disease and corresponding therapeutic principles can be explained in great detail. In this manner, a theoretical basis for the principle of clinical treatment in accordance with the differentiation of signs and symptoms was established.

The Midwest College follows this modern Chinese university model in both classroom and clinic; creating learning experiences that build critical thinking skills based upon classic TCM theory. Educational objectives have been developed, textbooks have been chosen, and workbooks created to best teach the classic academic theory and contemporary clinical practice of Oriental Medicine to today's student in America.

Where Chinese medical schools combined TCM with modern science in the 1950's, the Midwest College combined American attitudes toward holistic healing with TCM in the 1980's. Two decades later, Midwest College has an acupuncture program based on the modern educational model from China, and an Oriental Medicine program that uniquely combines traditional herbs and classic herbal formulations with modern nutritional counseling.