TCM Clinical Training
Joanna Zhao, L.Ac.
Department Chair
The Five Branches Master's Degree is a professional degree in the clinical practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This practical aspect of our training is vital, preparing our students to work professionally with the theories, knowledge and skills they learn in the academic program and labs. Through practicing under the direction of faculty members each of which have at least ten years of clinical experience, students will develop solid clinical and communication skills, professional conduct, efficiency and confidence.
Clinical training comprises approximately one-third of Five Branches' Master's degree program. This training is accomplished in six distinct settings: Clinical Theater, Clinical Rounds, Clinical Internship Rounds, Clinical Paired Internship, Clinical Internship, and Clinical Integrative Theater Internship, each offering a distinct type of clinical and practical experience. Small class sizes enable the student to receive individual faculty training, feedback and written evaluations. In addition, students receive an orientation from staff before each phase of the clinical training, and a written clinical manual provides students with carefully developed guidance to clinical protocols and procedures. Enrollment in each level of clinical training allows students to learn from clinical faculty in various learning modalities. By the end of the clinical training, interns will perform at least 350 patient treatments, a basic requirement for graduation.
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| MCL 100 48 Hours |
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| In Beginning Clinical Theater, newly enrolled students receive a comprehensive introduction and orientation to the clinic’s protocols on patient care, safety, herb formula preparation and patient records. This is the student’s first opportunity to see how TCM theory and practice are combined. In each class, scheduled patients are interviewed, diagnosed and treated by faculty, as students observe. Following each patient’s intake, diagnosis and treatment, a general forum-discussion of the patient’s case is conducted. Students begin learning professional conduct within this clinical setting: how to take a patient’s medical history, and how to create and maintain patient records. Students observe all aspects of treating patients as a TCM professional, including diagnostic data gathering, syndrome identification, treatment planning, herb prescription formulation, and acupuncture needling techniques. Students also participate in the preparation of herbal formulas. |
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| Prerequisite: None |
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| MCL 200 48 Hours |
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| This class is a continuation of Beginning Clinical Theater. Conducted in a classroom setting, students have the opportunity to see how TCM theory and practice are combined. In each class, scheduled patients are interviewed, diagnosed and treated by faculty as students observe. Following each patient’s intake, diagnosis and treatment, a general forum-discussion of the patient’s case is conducted. Students begin learning professional conduct within this clinical setting: how to take a patient’s medical history, and how to create and maintain patient records. Students observe all aspects of treating patients as a TCM professional, including diagnostic data gathering, syndrome identification, treatment planning, herb prescription formulation, and acupuncture needling techniques. Students also participate in the preparation of herbal formulas. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 100, Beginning Theater |
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| MCL 300 144 Hours |
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| Clinical Rounds provides students with experience in observing and assisting licensed faculty practitioners in interviewing, diagnosing and treating patients. In Rounds, four to five students follow a practitioner, treating patients in the school’s teaching clinic. Students participate in taking and recording a patient’s history and exam. Students take the patient’s pulses and observe the patient’s tongue to understand the instructor’s diagnosis, choice of acupuncture treatment and herbal prescription. This close assistantship is invaluable in the study of TCM. Students will learn how to fill an herbal prescription from the clinic’s pharmacy and give patients instructions regarding its preparation and use. Students are evaluated on their knowledge and their developing patient skills. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 200, Clinical Theater; MRA 200, Cum Review I |
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| MCL 400 144 Hours |
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| In Clinical Internship Rounds, students advance to hands-on treatments in a clinical setting under the direct supervision of a licensed practitioner. A small, intimate group of students attend to the patient’s intake and treatment with constant monitoring by a licensed faculty supervisor, who develops a diagnosis and treatment strategy. Students will learn to treat patients with a variety of TCM modalities, and prepare formulas or prescribe patent herbs, under the direct supervision of a licensed faculty supervisor. Clinical Internship Rounds is designed to provide a setting for students to develop comprehensive clinical skills in preparation for Internship.. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 300, Clinical Rounds; CPR/First Aid; CNT |
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| MCL 510 144 Hours |
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| Clinical Paired Internship is the next level in the clinical hands-on training, preparing students for senior Internship. In Paired Internship, students work in pairs and alternate in conducting the patient history, intake, diagnosis and treatment of their patients. In this setting, students collaborate in the development of the patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan, and the presentation of their patient’s case to their faculty supervisor. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 400, Clinical Internship Rounds; MRA 400, Cum Review II |
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| MCL 600 384 Hours |
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| Clinical training at Five Branches University culminates with Clinical Internship. Clinical Internship is designed to simulate an actual clinical environment, in which students diagnose, treat and develop long-range treatment goals and plans for their patients. Interns work independently under a licensed clinical faculty supervisor who is there to answer questions and provide recommendations and support as needed. Clinical Internship imparts the ultimate clinical educational condition for students, in which autonomy with patients is supported by the guidance and wisdom of experienced licensed faculty members. Students will be able, upon licensure, to treat patients unsupervised with confidence and expertise. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 510, Clinical Paired Internship |
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| MCL 800 48 Hours |
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| A member of the Western faculty and the TCM faculty will supervise up to nine interns. In rotating groups of three, interns will perform the history and relevant examination of a patient from both Western and Eastern perspectives, and develop an assessment and plan from each perspective. The diagnosis and the plan will be evaluated and discussed. A second group of students will perform the Eastern treatment and carry out and make appropriate recommendations for the Western treatment with the exclusion of administering medications. |
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| Prerequisite: MRA 600, Cum Review III; MWM 610, Western Case Management I |
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Clinical Specialty Options
Clinical training offers experience with a broad spectrum of patient clinical cases. Clinical specialty options offer students the opportunity to practice in-depth with faculty in specialized fields.
Sports Medicine
Frank He, L.Ac. Department ChairStudents interested in furthering their understanding of TCM Traumatology and Orthopedics as applied in the clinic may enroll in clinical training courses which focus on the treatment of sports injury. These courses are part of the requirements for the Sports Medicine Certification.
| Course Title | Code | Hours |
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| Sports Medicine Clinical Rounds | MCL 300 | 48 |
| Sports Medicine Clinical Internship | MCL 600 | 48 |
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| MCL 300 48 Hours |
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| In this specialized clinical training course, students are able to observe senior practitioners in clinic practice as they apply acupuncture, Chinese medicinal herbs and Tuina massage to a broad spectrum of patients with sports injury-related conditions. |
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| Prerequisite: MRA 200, Cum Review I; Passing the specialized round examination |
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| MCL 600 48 Hours |
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| In this final stage of clinical training, students gain greater responsibility to diagnose and treat patients, applying classical and specialized acupuncture and herbal formula treatment plans for a variety of sports injuries, as well as utilizing Western medical diagnostic techniques and examination when appropriate. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 300, Sports Medicine Clinical Rounds; MCM 410, TCM Trauma & Orthopedics |
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TCM Tuina Massage
Michael Alexander, L.Ac. Department ChairStudents interested in furthering their understanding of and skills in TCM massage may enroll in two clinical training courses which focus on TCM Tuina massage as applied to the treatment of pediatric and adult patients. This treatment modality is highly regarded not only for its results, especially with young patients, but also for meeting the concern that many parents and patients may have about needles. These courses are required for obtaining the TCM Massage Practitioner Certification.
| Course Title | Code | Hours |
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| TCM Tuina Massage Clinical Internship Rounds | MCL 400 | 48 |
| TCM Tuina Massage Clinical Internship | MCL 600 | 48 |
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| MCL 400 48 Hours |
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| A continuation of the theoretical and practical TCM Tuina Massage course, this course presents students with an opportunity to practice a broad spectrum of applications of Tuina massage with patients in the clinic, under supervision of senior practitioners. |
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| Prerequisite: MAC 350, TCM Tuina Massage I |
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| MCL 600 48 Hours |
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| A continuation of the theoretical and practical TCM Massage course and the Tuina Massage Clinical Internship Rounds, this clinical course offers students an opportunity to apply the Tuina massage techniques they have learned in class and observed in clinic with their own patients, under the supervision of a senior practitioner of Tuina massage. |
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| Prerequisite: MEL 400, TCM Tuina Massage II; MCL 400, TCM Tuina Clinical Internship Rounds |
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Five Element Clinical Training
Dr. Gary Dolowich, M.D., L.Ac., Mary Huse, R.N., L.Ac. Department ChairsThree levels of clinical training classes are available to students interested in studying the clinical applications of Five Element Theory. These clinical courses may be taken as part of the MTCM clinical training while also fulfilling the clinical training requirement for the Five Element Certificate.
| Course Title | Code | Hours |
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| Five Element Clinical Rounds | MCL 300 | 48 |
| Five Element Clinical Internship Rounds | MCL 400 | 48 |
| Five Element Clinical Paired Internship | MCL 510 | 48 |
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| MCL 300 48 Hours |
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| In this clinical training course, students will be able to observe senior practitioners in clinic as they apply Five Element theory, energetics and spirit of the points with their patients. Students will begin to understand how the principles of Five Element Acupuncture are applied in a clinical setting. |
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| Prerequisite: MRA 200, Cum Review I; MEL 315, Five Element Theory I |
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| MCL 400 48 Hours |
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| In this clinical training course, students will be asked to diagnose and treat patients, under the direct supervision of senior practitioners, and to apply Five Element Theory, Energetics and Spirit of the Points. Upon completion of the Clinical Internship Rounds, students will have skill in Five Element intake, diagnosis and treatment. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 300, Five Element Clinical Rounds; MEL 420, Five Element Theory II (or concurrent enrollment) |
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| MCL 510 48 Hours |
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| In this second level of hands-on training, students work in pairs and alternate in conducting the patient intake, diagnosis and treatment. The students collaborate in the development of the patient diagnosis and treatment plan, and the presentation of their patient’s case to their clinical supervisor. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 400, Five Element Clinical Internship Rounds; MEL 420, Five Element Theory II; MRA 400 Cum Review II |
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Hepatitis C Clinical Training
Hepatitis C is an epidemic, affecting 4 million people in the United States and 100 million worldwide. This specialty training introduces students to an integrated Eastern and Western approach to treating Hepatitis C. A combination of lecture and clinical experience are used to teach a holistic approach to Hepatitis C, which includes diet/lifestyle counseling, herbal formulas, nutritional supplements, moxibustion and acupuncture. Students will learn in detail both the symptoms of Hepatitis C, the side effects of Western treatment and how to alleviate them. Herbal formulas that should not be given in conjunction with Western medicine and other herbal cautions in liver disease will also be discussed.
| Course Title | Code | Hours |
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| Hepatitis C Clinical Rounds | MCL 300 | 48 |
| Hepatitis C Clinical Internship Rounds | MCL 400 | 48 |
| Hepatitis C Clinical Internship | MCL 600 | 48 |
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| MCL 300 48 Hours |
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| In Clinical Rounds students observe and assist the licensed faculty practitioners in interviewing and diagnosing hepatitis C patients. Through the observation of faculty, students learn how treatment plans are formulated based on the information gathered from both the Western medical lab work and the TCM perspective. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 200, Clinical Theater; MRA 200, Cum Review II |
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| MCL 400 48 Hours |
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| In Hepatitis C Clinical Internship Rounds, students advance to hands-on treatments in a clinical setting under the direct supervision of a licensed practitioner. Students alternate practicing the hepatitis C patient’s intake, treatment planning, and application. Students will treat patients with a variety of TCM modalities and prepare formulas or prescribe patent herbs, under the direct supervision of a licensed faculty supervisor. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 300, Hepatitis C Clinical Rounds; CNT: Clean Needle Technique; CPR/First Aid |
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| MCL 600 48 Hours |
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| The primary objective of this clinical internship is for students to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to treat hepatitis C with Chinese medicine alone, and in combination with Western treatment. Students are expected to interpret lab work, biopsy and ultrasound reports. Based on the information gathered, students will develop acupuncture and herbal protocols for treating specific symptoms associated with hepatitis C. |
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| Prerequisite: MCL 400, Hepatitis C Clinical Internship Rounds |
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Medical Qigong
The Medical Qigong clinic specialty was developed for treating patients with a multitude of conditions, including internal organ diseases, immune system dysfunction and cancer. Patients are treated with Qigong and given specific Medical Qigong prescription exercises and meditations in order to assist the treatments and enhance healing. The clinical training is part of the requirements for obtaining the Medical Qigong Practitioner Certificate.
| Course Title | Code | Hours |
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| Medical Qigong Clinical Internship Rounds | MCL 400 | 72 |
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| MCL 400 72 Hours |
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| Conducted in a small class setting, Clinical Internship Rounds gives students exposure and first-hand experience with Medical Qigong diagnoses and treatments. This is a hands-on experience in which the different aspects of energetic dysfunctions and symptom manifestations are studied and experienced by the Medical Qigong students. Through the careful guidance of the instructor, the Medical Qigong students will assist in all phases of diagnosis and treatment. Seventy-two hours of clinical training are required for the Medical Qigong certificate. |
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| Prerequisite: MEL 310, Medical Qigong I; MEL 320, Medical Qigong II; CNT; CPR/First Aid |
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Yin Tuina
The ancient art of Yin Tuina is used to explore the methods of TCM diagnosis and treatment. These courses deepen the students' understanding and confidence in diagnosis through palpation of energetic patterns, both healthy and aberrant. Students learn how to utilize Yin Tuina to diagnose and correct aberrant qi flow. Additionally, students will gain confidence in their ability to locate and feel meridians and points.
| Course Title | Code | Hours |
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| Yin Tuina Clinical Internship | MCL 600 | 48 |
| Yin Tuina Clinical Internship Rounds | MCL 400 | 48 |
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| MCL 600 48 Hours |
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| In Yin Tuina Internship, students advance to treating patients independently, under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. Students independently conduct the patient interview, exam, reach a correct diagnosis, and establish an appropriate treatment plan. The focus of this clinical course is to advance students’ confidence and skills in diagnosis through palpation of energetic patterns. The primary method of diagnosis and treatment is the ancient art of Yin Tuina. Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate clinical mastery in Yin Tuina as the primary method of diagnosis and treatment. |
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| Prerequisite: MEL 491, Yin Tuina I; MCL 400, Yin Tuina Internship Rounds; MCL 500, Paired Internship. |
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| MCL 400 48 Hours |
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| In Yin Tuina Clinical Internship Rounds, students participate in hands-on diagnosis and treatment in a clinical setting, under the direct supervision of a licensed practitioner. Students use TCM theories to reach a diagnosis of a patient’s patterns of disharmony. The focus of this clinical course is honing the students’ confidence in diagnosis through palpation of energetic patterns. The primary method of diagnosis and treatment is the ancient art of Yin Tuina. Upon completion of this course, students will have confidence and skill in the basics of TCM diagnosis, treatment planning and using Yin Tuina as a primary diagnostic tool and method of treatment. |
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| Prerequisite: MEL 491, Yin Tuina I |
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Clinical Training in China
Students may choose to complete up to 25% of their clinical training in the affiliated hospitals of our sister colleges in China. Every summer, 10 to 20 students accompany our native Chinese faculty and travel to China for an extraordinary professional experience; training in China’s leading hospitals, discovering a new country, and making new friends.
The hospitals of our sister colleges have received the highest AAA rating from the Chinese government. Students can choose to train in various specialty departments such as Internal Medicine, Gynecology, Pediatrics and Oncology to name just a few. Using translators where necessary, students study in small groups with famous doctors from the hospital. For further details please refer to the Study in China section of the catalog.