Which schools offer a doctorate?
Choosing between an entry-level doctorate and an advanced one is the real fork here, so it helps to know both shapes exist before comparing schools.
Choosing between an entry-level doctorate and an advanced one is the real fork here, so it helps to know both shapes exist before comparing schools.
In TCM education, "doctorate" means one of two different things:
| Doctorate type | Who it's for | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level professional doctorate (e.g. DAcHM, DAcCHM, DACM) | New students, taken instead of/alongside a master's | Your first TCM credential |
| Advanced postgraduate doctorate (e.g. DAOM) | Those who already hold a TCM master's and/or license | A doctorate added after you're already practicing |
Here's what each school's own published catalog shows (all as each school currently publishes it, checked mid-2026):
| School | Entry-level doctorate | Advanced/postgraduate doctorate |
|---|---|---|
| Five Branches University | DAcHM (dual w/ MAcHM), DAc/MAc | DAOM (English & Chinese tracks, hybrid); Bridge/Completion (online, upgrades an existing master's); PhD (China dual-degree) |
| Colorado Chinese Medicine University | DAc, DAcCHM (+ completion track) | DAOM (English & Mandarin) |
| Pacific College of Health and Science | DAc/DAcCHM (on-ground) | T-DAc/T-DAcCHM (online transitional/completion) |
| Southern California University of Health Sciences | DACM, DAcCHM | — |
| California University–Silicon Valley | DAcCHM (+ completion track) | — |
| University of East-West Medicine | DAcCHM (dual/completion track) | — |
| Yo San University | DAcCHM (+ completion track) | DAOM |
So quite a few schools offer some doctorate — but only a handful (Five Branches, CCMU, Pacific College, Yo San) publish a true postgraduate/DAOM-level doctorate for someone who's already licensed, separate from an entry-level one. Are you looking at this as your very first TCM credential, or as something to add on top of a master's or license you already hold?
Sources
- Five Branches University — Applying To Five Branches checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — DAOM Program, FBU DAOM-Catalog-2026-Jan-1 2026-1, pp. 28-41 (of 68 checked 2026-07
- Five Branches University — Phd In China checked 2026-08
- The school's own published catalog and website checked 2026-07
- Five Branches University — Visit Five Branches checked 2026-08
- Yo San University (YSU), DAOM v2 (catalog) checked 2026-07
- Yo San University (YSU), MAcDAc v2 (catalog) checked 2026-07
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