Certificate - Chinese Herbal Medicine

Program Summary - CCHM

The Chinese herbal medicine certificate program is designed for those seeking comprehensive training in the field of Chinese herbal medicine. This program is a postgraduate course for licensed acupuncturists.

The curriculum is designed to give students skills and knowledge in the principles of Chinese herbology, including materia medica, formulations, prepared medicines, dispensary and herbal therapeutics. The curriculum also includes clinical training in Chinese herbal medicine at Bastyr's teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health. It covers a minimum of 300 herbs and other therapeutic substances, as well as 150 herbal formulas. Case studies are presented to enhance the learning process. Students also gain skills in understanding drug/herb interactions — a relevant topic for today's practitioners.

Advantages of Bastyr's Certificate Program

• A three-year program for full-time students, with a part-time option also available.
• Includes clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health, whose Chinese Herbal Medicine Dispensary carries more than 300 commonly used "loose" Chinese herbs, 80 formulas and 200 individual herbs in concentrated, powdered extract form, as well as 150 prepared medicines.
• Opportunity to learn traditional Chinese medicine through a monthlong externship at two of China's most prestigious schools, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine or the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Opening Doors for Acupuncturists

Obtaining a Certificate in Chinese Herbal Medicine opens up doors for acupuncturists by expanding their abilities to heal patients and promote whole-body health.

At the conclusion of the certificate program, graduates have enhanced their academic skills through clinical training and have gained the traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic skills to assess and diagnose syndromes relevant to traditional Chinese medicine. Graduates are also prepared to determine and use appropriate Chinese herbal therapies within the appropriate professional scope of practice.

Curriculum - CCHM

The Chinese herbal medicine certificate program is designed for those seeking comprehensive training in the field of Chinese herbal medicine. This program is a postgraduate course for licensed acupuncturists.

The CCHM curriculum enables students to gain skills and knowledge in the principles of Chinese herbology, including materia medica, formulations, prepared medicines, dispensary, herbal therapeutics, and clinical training at the Chinese herbal medicine teaching clinic. The CCHM curriculum covers a minimum of 300 herbs and other therapeutic substances and a minimum of 150 herbal formulas. Case studies are presented to enhance the learning process. Students also gain skills in understanding drug/herb interactions — a very relevant topic for today's practitioners. At the conclusion of the certificate program, graduates have enhanced their academic skills through clinical training and have gained the traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic skills to assess and diagnose syndromes relevant to traditional Chinese medicine. They also are prepared to determine and use appropriate Chinese herbal therapies within the appropriate professional scope of practice.

Prerequisites: The CCHM is a postgraduate course of study that includes both didactic and clinical training. Applications for the certificate program are taken from acupuncturists throughout the year, with admission starting in summer quarter. An interview may be required.

The curriculum table that follows lists the schedule of courses each quarter. Next to each course are the number of credits per course (Crdt.), the lecture hours each week (Lec.) and the lab/clinic hours each week (L/C).

Year I

Year II

Year III

Total Requirements

Note: The CCHM program is 62 credits total. To earn the certificate, 41 credits must be completed in residence.

California licensure requirements: The CCHM curriculum is designed to meet the current Chinese herbal medicine requirement portion for California acupuncture licensure. (The California licensing exam requires comprehensive training in acupuncture as well as CHM.) Those interested in California licensure should complete the MSAOM program or complete the MSA and return to the CCHM program as a postgraduate student.

China Study: Students in the CCHM certificate program may also choose to study in China. (Please see the China Externship section in the master's program description.) Students who choose to do the China externship must take an additional onecredit elective course, Clinic Entry for China, in the summer quarter just preceding their trip.

Expected Learning Outcomes

The Department of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has established the following expected learning outcomes for the Chinese herbal medicine certificate. Graduates will be trained to be:

• Safe and effective in the care of patients by demonstrating in-depth ability in the following areas:
  • Knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic strategies and their application to individual cases
  • Skill in the traditional methods of assessment of patients including interviewing, palpation and observation
  • Competence in selecting the appropriate treatment modalities and plans for a patient utilizing acupuncture, tui na, Chinese herbs (relevant to the MSAOM) and lifestyle counseling
  • Skill in the application of herbs and Chinese herbal formulas in an appropriate and safe fashion for each patient
• Able to integrate Eastern and Western paradigms of medicine for the purposes of informing the practice of traditional Chinese medicine, communicating with other health care professionals and patients, and making appropriate medical referrals when necessary
• Qualified to pass national and state acupuncture and/or herbal exams

Curriculum and course changes in the 2012-2013 Bastyr University Catalog are applicable to students entering during the 2012-2013 academic year. Please refer to the appropriate catalog if interested in curriculum and courses required for any other entering year.