Dr. Cao Builds Bridge Between World's Medicines

When Dr. Qiang Cao, ND, LAc, started teaching in the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM) program at Bastyr University in 1989, he taught every single class - to only two students.

Talk about multi-tasking. "They called it the Dr. Cao program," he jokes.

Twelve years later, Bastyr's AOM program (including one bachelor's degree program and two master's degree programs) boasts more than 200 students and 50 faculty members. Often lauded as the best AOM program in the United States, according to Dr. Cao, it is still the only AOM program with a strong Western science emphasis.

This is important to Dr. Cao (pronounced "CHOW"), since he was trained in China as an OMD (Oriental Medicine Doctor). An OMD is a primary care physician, similar to MDs in the United States, who are entitled to "do everything," says Dr. Cao, including prescribe drugs and perform surgery. The only difference is that the practice is based on Chinese medicine philosophy.

Even more important to Dr. Cao than building an AOM program with a strong scientific base is his goal to integrate all types of medicine, something he refers to as "whole world medicine." He says he has a vision of all medical practitioners responsibly integrating healing traditions from around the world. "At Bastyr, I have tried to help facilitate that. I still believe in it," he says. "I think many years from now all the traditions will merge with each other."

Dr. Cao immigrated to the United States specifically to obtain some diversity of his own - a naturopathic medicine degree from Bastyr University. He calls naturopathy "old European medicine," noting that it began as an eclectic mix of indigenous healing arts practiced in Greek and Roman times.

Continuing to follow his desire to integrate many types of medicine, Dr. Cao helped establish the AOM program at Bastyr along with Bastyr coworkers Jim Chan, ND, LAc, under the leadership of Peggy Smith, ND, LAc. At that time, the only programs at Bastyr were the Naturopathic Doctorate degree and the master of science in nutrition.

The AOM program allowed Dr. Cao to further his vision, allowing students who are practicing other types of healing arts to receive an acupuncture degree and become licensed acupuncturists as well as allowing students to become solely AOM practitioners. While Bastyr's ND program did have some Chinese herb classes available to students before the AOM program was founded, ND students did not have the opportunity to receive the breadth of training in Oriental medicine and acquire a true understanding of it.

Dr. Cao's medical teaching career began in 1977 as he graduated one of the top of 300 students in his OMD program from Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) University in China. Afterwards, he was accepted as one of the two or three percent of students privileged to work at the Longhua University Hospital, the largest teaching hospital in China. While there, he taught, did research and worked as an internist specializing in cardiology.

Dr. Cao maintains a relationship with many of his Chinese students from that time. Quite a few of them are now successful acupuncture practitioners in Texas, California and New York, he notes. "They still call me sometimes. I discuss the practice with them. I still enjoy providing guidance long after they have left the classroom."

While still in China, at a medical conference in Bejing, Dr. Cao found Bastyr University listed in a Peterson's graduate school catalog at the China National Library. Bastyr University was the only school he saw listed as a place to earn a natural medicine doctoral degree.

After arriving at Bastyr, a flurry of attending school, teaching and creating the AOM program seemed to begin simultaneously. Dr. Cao has kept up a hectic pace ever since.

Dr. Cao seems amazed at his own longevity, exclaiming, "For twelve years, I've taught at least two evening classes at Bastyr every week in addition to teaching full days, keeping office hours and serving on committees." He regards me with raised eyebrows and a slight smile, as if surprised. " I was never sick, never even took sick leave, and I never missed a class."

"Twelve years is a long time to teach in this field," Dr. Cao continues. "Most people prefer to do a private practice. I have a very good practice at Wedgewood Acupucture, but I stay at Bastyr because I have made a commitment to build the AOM program." Many other long-term AOM faculty at Bastyr attest to a similar commitment, he explains.

Dr. Cao's co-founders eventually left the university, but he remains, serving as a bridge between Eastern and Western medicine and continuing to influence the AOM program's development.

Dr. Cao teaches a diverse range of subjects, from Acupuncture Therapeutics where students learn to place needles, Traditional Chinese Medicine Pathology where students learn to treat disease using energy balance and Eastern healing philosophies, and Medical Classics where advanced students learn about the ancient school of Chinese medicine.

Dr. Cao's students commend him for his ability to provide real-life examples from both Eastern and Western medicine and do so with humor, clarity and organization. Students feel that they benefit from his personal experience and tangible passion for the subject. "He combines all concepts into real treatment. I appreciate his energy and how he brings concepts together for us so we can grasp a deeper understanding," his evaluations read. "He provided excellent examples due to his experience in both Eastern and Western medicine," one student adds.

Growing up in a well-educated family of doctors and teachers, he knew he would do something of note. Dr. Cao, whose first name (Qiang) means "Strong, Great" in Chinese, did not choose the profession early in life but did eventually find that healing was a passion. Coincidentally, he has impeccable health, noting that he never gets sick, feels depressed or low in energy. He attributes this to his strong belief system and his active lifestyle that includes swimming, downhill skiing and hiking.

Dr. Cao's wife, Hai Lan, practices acupuncture and Chinese medicine alongside him in his practice. They have a 16 year-old daughter, Yingzi, who is bilingual and enjoys American culture as much as she enjoys visits to China.

Yingzi does not yet know if she wants to be a doctor, he explains, but he is not pressuring her. "My father never pressured me," he says. "When you get to a certain point, you know what you want to do."

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