Tribe.net. Local Connections mabel http://acupuncture.tribe.net/thread/419694e0-fa6c-4e0c-8701-59adc14d0d4d#83c7f8d2-96fb-4ca8-a7b7-18ab54505d9d 2005-04-21T20:10:21Z 2005-04-21T20:10:21Z

hi there. i'm graduating from five branches in the next few weeks. (yay!) if you have any specific questions about our school please feel free to shoot them this way. i love the school... also thought about actcm (i'm native to sf) but decided against it mostly because i really needed a break from the city. from what i hear or know, they're (actcm and five branches) both academically strong (rivaling each other regularly for highest passing rates on the state boards) and clinically fabulous. regarding our clinic: as of this last year, it became next to impossible to get an appt at our clinic as a drop-in because we're always fully booked. this is very good as it of course gives us a chance to treat a wide variety of patients and not just have to use each other to learn from. this is maybe true for some of the older or bigger schools, but i'd ask this question of any school i was interested in. our school is run and taught by mostly chinese people which i think is great. i've posted in this forum elsewhere on some of this if you do a search, but one thing is that actcm is on quarter system (moves quickly) and we're on a semester system (less tests perhaps). i never did like the pace at actcm from what i could tell from other peeps, but i can't tell you firsthand anyways. also, five branches now offers externships (at local western clinics and at stanford) which we didn't have in the not-so-distant past while actcm has had for awhile it seems. five branches also just opened a clinic/school in san jose should that be of interest to you. finally, our school is on the beach. yes, you read that right. on break between classes, you can put your feet in the water. i know that sounds a bit odd to bring up, but all these programs are very rigorous and yet, we're all trying to learn more about living well and 'in accord'. push - pull. it's hard to maintain balance. i think it really helps to have a town that is so very pro-student and a surrounding nature that is so very beautiful to help your studies along and to try to maintain some peace amongst the obvious stresses. you should definitely visit all schools you're thinking about and sit in on a class, talk to senior students, and get a treatment. good luck! exciting, isn't it?!

mabel 2005-04-21T20:10:21Z Brian http://acupuncture.tribe.net/thread/419694e0-fa6c-4e0c-8701-59adc14d0d4d#9037c0bb-1415-484c-aeb8-18fbb493c164 2005-04-21T19:34:10Z 2005-04-21T19:34:10Z

AnMeng, I'm looking into starting acupuncture school this coming september and am looking into ACCHS and ACTCM. ACTCM is closer to me but ACCHS seems on the surface more cohesively Chinese medicine/philosophy oriented. Just wondering if you chose a school, how its going, and if you feel you made the right school choice. Brian

Brian 2005-04-21T19:34:10Z AnMeng http://acupuncture.tribe.net/thread/419694e0-fa6c-4e0c-8701-59adc14d0d4d#81832f68-858f-4312-81bf-13a4202ec105 2004-09-02T16:18:02Z 2004-09-02T16:18:02Z

Hi Jeremy, As I see your post is from a while ago, you may already have this information by now, but I thought I would pass it along, just in case. I have orientation at the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences (ACCHS) in Oakland today. Fall classes begin next week. I've had the chance to meet many of the faculty, and talk to quite a few of the students, and most of the feedback I've gotten has been pretty positive. There are a few minor administration issues I've heard of, but nothing much different from ACTCM or AIC-Berkeley... which each has its own issues, as well. I do have a friend who used to teach some of the western corequisites at ACTCM. He feels the school is academically strong, with a bit more of a Western Medicine focus than the other two schools. Their administration issues mostly occured when several staff members jumped ship to AIC a while back, but apparently most of those individuals are no longer there either. There have been other administration issues, but this seems to be the case at all of the schools, only in different ways. My understanding is that their scheduling is also the most sporatic of the schools, but you'd want to get clarification from current students. I've also heard that their program is really geared towards students who do not work, so that is also a consideration. Their test scores on the State acupuncture exam are excellent (the best of the schools), but they also have the highest admissions requirements of the schools and the most stringent focus... which also means they are the least flexible. So, there are plusses and minuses, you just have to decide *what* suits you best. As an F.Y.I... AIC in Berkely is known for its "Japanese influence" and relatively strong clinic. They also have drawbacks, including lack of any elective courses (althought that might change with the new hours requirements, or they may add more clinic) and some stability issues that seem to be slowly working themselves out. Their classes are three days per week, on a T/Th/Sat schedule, so their scheduling is reasonably consistant. The Academy (ACCHS) is known for a very strong Chinese focus (what interested me most), and they are the only school in the area to offer a night program for folks who work during the day. Their daytime English program is T/Th (classes), and clinic, starting second year, is generally scheduled with a little more flexibility. Night classes are Mon/Tue/Thu, but I am not sure how clinic is scheduled, as I am starting the daytime program. I don't have much information on the schools further south, such as Five Branches, so I can't be much of a help there. If you have any questions about any of this, feel free to leave me a message, and I'll do my best to give you helpful answers. Kindest Regards! Andrea

AnMeng 2004-09-02T16:18:02Z $item.owner.firstName http://acupuncture.tribe.net/thread/419694e0-fa6c-4e0c-8701-59adc14d0d4d#82e3797c-0dc4-4575-b059-e793ef649d43 2004-06-02T18:21:18Z 2004-06-02T18:21:18Z

I was checking out schools but really didn't decide on going into TCM. I know a few people who graduated from ACTCM a while ago. It seems like a good school for what you want to do. I mean it really gives you the skills and experience with some pretty good teachers. I know a couple of practitioners from this school and they are really good at their trade(good doctors-healers). I also recommend Five Branches. I know someone who graduated from there and she is doing really good in the business. She had a stellar education and clinical portion which gave her the clients she needed to have a successful business.

$item.owner.firstName 2004-06-02T18:21:18Z katie http://acupuncture.tribe.net/thread/419694e0-fa6c-4e0c-8701-59adc14d0d4d#1cbd17b2-c9e3-4178-85d1-b35f2fa5e0f4 2004-05-28T00:36:22Z 2004-05-28T00:36:22Z

i am about to graduate from ACTCM in San francisco, and yes i'm biased but i think my school is the best! i have gotten an invaluable education from some of the most amazing teachers who have really taught me how to "think TCM". give it a visit and sit in on a class, i think you will be impressed. www.actcm.edu

katie 2004-05-28T00:36:22Z jeronimo http://acupuncture.tribe.net/thread/419694e0-fa6c-4e0c-8701-59adc14d0d4d#0de0b1a0-21dc-498c-95d5-8c181a28459d 2004-05-27T23:21:36Z 2004-05-27T23:21:36Z

Hi, I'm considering school for Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and wondered if anyone has any information, thoughts, and/or opinions about the schools local to the Bay Area, specifically, ACTCM. thanks, jeremy

jeronimo 2004-05-27T23:21:36Z