Industry – Five Branches University

Careers Open to Acupuncturists: Newsletter, March 2021

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 13:05:40 +0000

Subscribe To Our Newsletter | Want to share your story? Please contact us: newsletter@fivebranches.edu

Many Careers are Open to Acupuncturists

Did you know there are a multitude of career opportunities for acupuncturists, including starting your own private practice, joining an integrative medical facility, getting hired at Kaiser or Sutter or Modern Acupuncture, getting hired at a spa or yoga studio, teaching at a university, working at an herbal dispensary, or even traveling the world to assist in dire situations for Acupuncturists Without Borders?

Our practitioners are equipped with paramount levels of education for acupuncture, herbal formulation, Chinese dietary advice, and even marketing skills, so you can get started on your career path right away.

We encourage you to consider what type of practice you might want to have once you are an acupuncturist (and keep in mind our DTCM/DAOM/Bridge Doctoral programs offer added benefits since employers often prefer more initials after your name)! Visit Paths to TCM for more information on the many different transformations your career can take, and has already taken our alumni.

Adding Healthy Oils to Your Diet Can Reduce Depression

In addition to acupuncture and herbs, what other measures can help us through the ‘winter blues’ as we also face an ongoing pandemic? One way is adding more healthy fats to your daily diet, and eating a wide variety of vegetables instead of sticking with the same few ones.

Dietetics research suggests that extra virgin olive oil and fish oils (heavily featured in the Mediterranean Diet) help combat depression, and the positive effects lasted longer if people also committed to eating many different types of greens, nuts, seeds, and beans (Parletta et. al. [2019] A Mediterranean-style dietary intervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in people with depression, Nutritional Neuroscience, 22:7, 474-487).

In Traditional Chinese Medicine we say colloquially “Eat a rainbow every day,” which references a variety of plant sources. One possibility for a side dish is lightly steamed rainbow chard tossed with cold-pressed olive oil and sprinkled with diced olives (both black and green) and fresh basil.

A Special Point for Pregnancy Anxiety

The pandemic has made most aspects of life far more challenging, and heightened emotions expected with becoming pregnant may be even more complex right now. If you or a loved one is pregnant (the patient in this photo was three months along), consider acupressure for Pericardium 4.

Located between palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis about five inches from the wrist, P4 helps alleviate depression, grief, and fear of people. Coronavirus has sparked additional worry during pregnancy, including transmissibility concerns and a lack of community support. Even the pandemic aside, anxiety is common during pregnancy but your doctor may caution against taking medications if possible.

When stressed, press and hold this point ten times in a row to increase circulation within the energy pathways; acupressure can also be used preventively first thing each morning to avoid developing the symptoms.

Newsletter & Happy New Year, January 2021

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:47:41 +0000

Subscribe Our Newsletter | Want to share your story? Please contact us: newsletter@fivebranches.edu

New Year’s Resolution: Stress Less

This year as we celebrate switching over to 2021 with just our own company or with our small ‘pod’ of folks, let us try to bring in extra warmth and acceptance after a very difficult time. If you generally feel extra stress during darker and chillier months, consider adding these to your self-care regimen:

Rescue Remedy (available at health food stores) 10 drops daily in your water
Mint tea (known to acupuncturists as Bo He) each evening to help you sleep
Ginger tea (known as Sheng Jiang) every morning to warm hands and feet
Omega-3 oils such as DHA and EPA (found in fish oil capsules, or even better by eating salmon or mussels twice weekly) can protect against heart disease
Goji berries (known as Gou Qi Zi) in boiling water as a tea or baked in muffins

What Does the Yin-Yang Symbol Mean?

Spotted at a CA outdoor market: licensed acupuncturist and 2005 grad Erica Vessells, sporting a new pair of yin-yang earrings made by fair trade craftswomen in Bali. The yin-yang symbol has its roots in Chinese Taoism and represents how opposing forces are often beautifully interconnected. An analogy would be how day turns into night and night into day; one catches glimpses of each within the other. During twilight a spreading quietude and indigo enshrouds the world; at dawn, day is blossoming from within the night. The yin-yang is perhaps the most crucial symbol in all of Chinese medicine, representing ultimate balance and vitality.

Industry Update

The NCCAOM changed its policy on exam retakes; under new rules candidates can have more than 5 attempts IF they satisfy certain requirements (such factors include certification application validity and previous exams passed). Please see this post for more information.

A Message from the President & Dean

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” -Confucius

As we head into 2021, our thoughts are with those whose health has been affected by the pandemic, and the frontline workers who remain at risk every day. At Five Branches we switched to a virtual model immediately and continue to incorporate updates to virtual and hybrid teaching to keep students and patients safe. This year has been such a difficult time. Our students and faculty remain committed to the foundations of healing from five thousand years ago. We are working hard to spearhead best practices to face these challenges, and we wish you a better 2021.

-President Ron Zaidman & Dean Joanna Zhao

Earn Your Doctorate and Masters at the same time

admin — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 13:46:35 +0000

Five Branches University now offers its new Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine as a dual degree – DTCM/MTCM. This allows students to complete a single 4-year program, and earn both the Doctoral and Master’s upon graduation. The DTCM/MTCM Dual-Degree minimizes study time, grants financial aid, and allows students to sit for both the California licensing and National certification exams.

The Five Branches Advantage

Nationally Accredited Master’s and Doctoral Programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine with extensive training in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
Certificate Programs in Asian Bodywork and Qigong
MTCM/DTCM Specialty Certification in Sports Medicine, Five Element, Medical Qigong, and Tuina Massage
Study Abroad in integrative hospital settings in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam
Federal Financial Aid and Grad Plus Loans available for tuition and living expenses

Interested in Our Program?
Submit Your Question or Request in the form below, or Call us at (831) 476-9424; or (408) 260-0208

A Growing Profession

42% of Americans are spending more than $34 billion on complementary and alternative therapies each year.¹
Current trends reflect consumers made 628 million visits to alternative healthcare providers, 243 million more than visits to primary-care physicians.¹
A growing acceptance of alternative therapies by conventional doctors is resulting in rapid expansion of integrative medicine centers across the U.S. ²

¹ Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr, David Eisenberg, December, 2008² Barrie R. Cassileth, MS, PhD, Laurence S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine and the Chief of Integrative Medicine at the New York Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Medi-Cal Ups Acupuncture Payments For Addiction

admin — Thu, 05 May 2016 22:19:51 +0000

Medi-Cal supports acupuncture for the treatment of pain to address the problem of opioids

Five Branches University of Traditional Chinese Medicine completes a successful pilot program with the Central California Alliance for Health examining the efficacy of acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine for pain management. Results allow Medi-Cal patients to use acupuncture instead of opioids and reimbursement rates to acupuncturists double.

The United States is experiencing an epidemic crisis and the worst opioid drug addiction problem in history. Opioid painkillers, such as codeine and morphine, are highly addictive substances. When individuals in chronic pain cannot receive prescription narcotics, many are forced to resort to illegal street drugs like heroin, which are often less expensive. Opioid drug-related deaths reached the highest number in history in 2014, claiming the lives of more than 29,000 individuals.

On March 29, 2016 (Atlanta, Georgia), President Barack Obama spoke to roughly 2,000 attendees at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit and stated,

“I think the public doesn’t fully appreciate yet the scope of the problem…the problem we have right now is treatment is underfunded.”

In a time when doctors, hospitals, healthcare organizations, medical universities, and patients are in desperate need of a different solution to pain management, the Central California Alliance for Health (CCAH) has taken pioneering steps in offering an alternative approach to supporting patients with chronic pain. Alan McKay, CEO of the CCAH, and Dr. Dale Bishop, Medical Director of the CCAH, wanted to help patients within Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Merced Counties that were suffering from severe and chronic pain to reduce their dependency on opioids. They turned to acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Five Branches University was chosen as a major treatment center along with four other providers in the Monterey Bay Area and Merced (California) to conduct a clinical trial pilot program. This pilot program was designed to determine the efficacy of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at reducing a patient’s pain levels, and lower, if not ceasing, their need for prescription narcotics.

The pilot program, starting in the summer of 2014, was conducted for just over one year. Each of the patients referred for treatment by the CCAH was specifically selected to participate in the program due to their extreme need for alternative pain management solutions. The results were overwhelmingly positive with greater than 80% of the participants having a tremendous reduction in their pain levels and need for opioid medications.

Source:BusinessInsider.com

Interested in Our Program?

Submit Your Question or Request HERE, or Call (831) 476-9424; or (408) 260-0208

Because of this success, the CCAH has now made unprecedented changes in the health insurance coverage of acupuncture for Medi-Cal patients. Now, all CCAH members, including adults, can self-refer to an acupuncturist for any medical condition and receive up to 2 visits per month. Since 2009, only pregnant mothers and individuals under 21 years of age could receive Medi-Cal reimbursement for acupuncture services. However, those are not all of the benefits that are now available. If a patient is getting beneficial results from their acupuncturist, they may request a referral from their primary care physician for a renewal of twenty extra visits to be used anytime within a three-month time frame. Currently, there is no limit on how many times these twenty extra visits may be renewed. Many of the pilot program participants had their referrals renewed three to four times.

Additionally, the CCAH has authorized Medi-Cal to double their reimbursement rates for patients that receive acupuncture at the Five Branches University Health Center from $17 to $34. “I am completely shocked at the results of this pilot program,” said Akwia Knipe, clinical manager of the Five Branches University Health Center.

“Our health center is busier than ever, with half, if not more, of our daily patients using their Medi-Cal insurance benefits. Even after individuals have used their two treatments per month benefit, patients are paying out of pocket for acupuncture services until they receive their referral for treatment renewal, due to the life-changing benefits they are experiencing.

We are getting anywhere from fifteen to twenty new referrals for acupuncture from primary care physicians within Santa Cruz County per day,” she said.

Five Branches University and TCM Health Center was established in Santa Cruz, California, in 1984. Since then, the university has offered exceptional training in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

“We have been dedicated since day one to serving those most in need within our community, and that is why we have continuously partnered with and supported our Medi-Cal population,” said Ron Zaidman (CEO, President, and founder of Five Branches University).

“It was inspiring to meet with Alan McKay three years ago when he asked Five Branches to be a key part of this revolutionary pilot program that had the potential to improve the quality of life for so many people suffering from chronic pain.

This is a perfect example of the kind of service we strive to provide for our community, and everyone else who may benefit from acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine received by our graduates.”

Currently, Five Branches University is working with the CCAH to provide the same health care benefits for Medi-Cal patients within Santa Clara County at its San Jose campus and TCM Health Center.

For more information about Five Branches University’s TCM Health Centers and graduate programs:

FIVE BRANCHES UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTERS

DTCM/MTCM Program

DOCTORATE/Ph.D Program

About the Author:
Chase G. Waters is a doctoral fellow in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at Five Branches University and has a Masters in Traditional Chinese Medicine (MTCM).

Request Information

2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine is granted to a Chinese Medical researcher

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 17:49:09 +0000

Groundbreaking and historical news for the Traditional Chinese Medicine community. For the first time in history, the Nobel Prize committee has granted an award to a Traditional Chinese Medicine researcher, Dr. Youyou Tu, for her work in Physiology and Medicine.

In response to failing Malaria treatments, Dr. Tu and her team from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing created an effective alternative treatment using the Chinese herb Artemisia annua (Qing Hao Su 青蒿素). You can read more about this exciting development by clicking on the link provided: https://theconversation.com/is-the-2015-nobel-prize-a-turning-point-for-traditional-chinese-medicine-48643

This is an important milestone for the profession and for the future of integrative medicine. It is my hope that this development will continue leading patients and western health care physicians to pursue an integrative dialogue in their health and wellness activities.

To The Point: Acupuncture Use Showing Sharp Rise

admin — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 17:50:21 +0000

This is your chance. If you have a passion for health and wellness, and a deep desire to help those around you live and feel better, there is currently an exploding field of medicine ripe with opportunity. Learning, embracing, and teaching its methods will not only enlighten and vivify others, it will also produce a profound spiritual transformation within you. What is this magical field of medicine, that not only transforms patient, but also practitioner?

Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been used to effectively manage and treat disease in many cultures for thousands of years. Western culture and medicine are finally coming around too; better late than never. Currently ½ of all Americans use some form of alternative medicine, and this multi-billion dollar industry only continues to grow. All main hospitals, such as Kaiser in the Bay Area, now have an acupuncturist on staff. Obamacare includes provisions for acupuncture, as does all California insurance. Doctors all across the country are including alternative medicine into their treatment, and have found it to be especially effective for conditions such as cancer, pain, and even many psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

So how do you get into this exciting, up-and-coming field? Five Branches University is one of the best acupuncture schools in the entire country. President Ron Zaidman, a deeply intelligent, caring, passionate, and realized man, presides over both campuses. He does an amazing job of inspiring others and cultivating knowledge and understanding. He has seen hundreds of graduates go on to fun, fulfilling, and lucrative careers in the US and all over the world.

Because it is a fast growing field, demand for practitioners is increasing at a time when supply is low. Whereas fields like nursing and doctoring are heavily impacted and highly competitive, the field of acupuncture and herbal medicine is wide open and available to all those with a true passion for healthcare.

Once a licensed graduate of Five Branches University, many professional opportunities await. You can work at a hospital, or be a part of a health collective at an integrated group practice. You can even start your own practice. Indeed, autonomy and independence are two of the most exciting parts of being an acupuncturist. In addition, the career comes with a high quality of life because of the deeply fulfilling nature of the work and the balanced life it both teaches and provides. The best practitioners are those who personally embody and employ the wisdom and methods they teach. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can also be a very lucrative career, with country-wide pay rates increasing. Pay rates are competitive with other health care jobs, and those working in hospitals or at private practices can often earn six figures and beyond.

Don’t miss the point on this. If you are interested in learning more about Five Branches University and the exploding field of acupuncture and herbal medicine, the university is holding an open house on June 18^th, from 6pm to 8pm at San Jose campus. Come meet faculty, graduates, and clinicians and hear their stories of transformation and success. Prepare to be inspired.

Job Forecast: Healthcare Jobs On The Rise

admin — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 12:53:05 +0000

According to Forbes¹, jobs in healthcare will comprise “28% of the new jobs in the U.S. over the next decade.” These employment prospects, combined with the Affordable Care Art, mean forecasts are looking great for Licensed Acupuncturists.

The article notes that “extended longevity and an aging population, combined with expanding insurance coverage under Obamacare, are increasing the demand for all kinds of health professionals. That means at least 5.7 million new jobs by 2020 as measured by the BLS. Another compelling statistic for those considering a health care career: The BLS projects that health care wages and salaries will rise 27% through 2014.”

In addition to the growing number of healthcare professionals that are needed, hospital networks such as Kaiser have paved the way for acupuncturists to work in hospital settings in their Chronic Pain Clinic. Kaiser’s acupuncture department is just one of many in the United States today offering acupuncture services for a wide array of conditions.

Five Branches University is thrilled to graduate successful Licensed Acupuncturists in such an amazing time for the profession.

1. http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/12/03/the-best-jobs-in-health-care-in-2014/

Leaders of the Northern California Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Profession Attend a Press Conference

admin — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:25:41 +0000

On February 21, 2013, leaders of the Northern California Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine profession, including Ron Zaidman, President and CEO of Five Branches University, held a press conference in San Francisco, California to announce the benefits California residents will receive with the inclusion of Acupuncture in Obamacare (effective January, 2014). This is an important and significant development, as Acupuncture joins Western Medicine as an essential healthcare benefit to be included in private insurance plans.

This development started in California in 1975 when Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the profession of Acupuncture as primary healthcare. The growth of the profession was made possible through high and rigorous standards of education and training, and state and national licensing and certification exams.

The leaders of the Acupuncture profession also announced the United States will be hosting the 10th World Conference on Chinese Medicine, for the first time, in Silicon Valley, in September, 2013. Every year The World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) organizes a worldwide Chinese Medicine Congress to provide a platform for Chinese Medicine specialists from all over the world to publish their clinical findings and to present the latest development of Chinese medicine to the world. The 9th World Congress of Chinese Medicine was held in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia , with prior conferences held in The Hague, and London.

Congratulations to the First Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Graduating Class!

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:02:22 +0000

On March 1st 2009, 36 doctoral fellows graduated from the Five Branches University Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) Program. This is the first graduating class from the DAOM program, which began in 2006.

Five Branches University began the DAOM program with a vision of creating a TCM community of experts in the U.S. The long list of renowned TCM and Western medicine experts participating in the program include prestigious faculty, renowned clinicians, and researchers from the Tianjin University of TCM, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.

Chinese experts such as Academician Xuemin Shi (石学敏院士), Dr. Juyi Wang (王居易教授), Dr. Wenzheng Huang (黄文政教授), Dr. Gang Ma (马纲教授), and Dr. Rui Li(李瑞教授), as well as local faculty, including Stanford University medical doctors; Dr. Samuel LeBaron, Dr. Archana Dubey, Dr. Belinda Jump, Dr. Jay Jernick, and Dr. Gordon Wong share their expertise on the subjects of neurology and stroke rehabilitation, channel medicine, nephrology and diabetes, among other forms of TCM and Western medicine.

Other famous TCM faculty that have been part of the DAOM program include: John Chen, LAc, PhD, PharmD; Sharon Feng, LAc; Bob Flaws, LAc; John Naiqiang Gu, LAc; Holly Guzman, LAc; Frank He, LAc; Lucy Hu, LAc; Raven Lang, LAc; Daofang Li, PhD, LAc; Peng Li, LAc; Shaohua Li, LAc; Jeffrey Pang, LAc; Zhuoyi Qiu, LAc; Richard Tan, LAc, and Wei-Chieh Young, PhD, LAc.

Currently the entry level to the profession is a master’s level degree, but for LAc’s who want to further their education, become a teacher for the next generation of TCM students, participate in TCM research or focus on a TCM specialty – the doctorate degree is the next step. Graduates of the DAOM program can use the title “Dr”– a well-deserved title and honor for our profession.

Many DAOM fellows state that the exposure to research has opened doors for them and introduced them to TCM, as evidence-based medicine. The Doctorate program is demanding as most students plunge into the academic course load, participate in clinical training, and write their doctoral thesis, all while maintaining a practice and taking care of family. This is a great accomplishment for the 36 graduates of the DAOM program.

Five Branches University is one of the few universities in the field of TCM offering a Doctoral program to LAc’s. Several doctoral students have chosen to continue their studies beyond the Doctorate, earning a Ph.D. in Chinese Medicine from sister colleges in China – the Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Currently the doctorate program is being offered in both English and Chinese.