AOMA Acquires New Campus

AOMA in the Statesman


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February 1, 2010

AOMA announces new campus location

Enrollment growth, alternative medicine trends driving expansion

Note: Media are invited to a brief event at the new campus Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 11 a.m. Speakers, who will also be available for interviews, include AOMA President Dr. William Morris, AOMA Board Member Betty Edmond, and Seton Vice President James Davis. Qi gong and acupuncture demonstrations will be given, and drawings and plans for the new campus will be on display.

AUSTIN—Leadership of the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin announced today that the college will be expanding to a new, larger main campus in the spring of 2011.  AOMA’s new 19,000 square foot headquarters campus, at 4701 WestGate Blvd., will include smart media classrooms, a student intern clinic, a mind/body center, faculty and administrative offices, a library, student and faculty gathering spaces, quiet and group study areas, an herbal medicine center and a bookstore/retail space.

“Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are increasingly recognized as important components in American healthcare,” says Dr. William Morris, president of AOMA. “With our internationally renowned faculty, demonstrated student success, and a new campus designed to provide excellence in every aspect of teaching, learning and student life and support, we are positioned for national leadership.”

A primary benefit of the new campus, Morris says, is that its master plan is designed to meet the specific needs of AOMA’s growing student population. Continued growth is expected because of the college’s new status as the first and only stand-alone, single-degree granting school of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the nation to be regionally accredited.  AOMA became accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in December, 2009.

AOMA offers a masters level graduate program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, preparing its students to be skilled, professional practitioners. SACS accreditation signifies that AOMA has a mission appropriate to graduate education; resources, programs and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain the college’s mission; clearly specified educational objectives in line with the degree offered and proven success in achieving its stated objectives.

Since its founding in 1993 AOMA has grown rapidly in size and reputation, drawing students from around the nation and faculty from around the world.  Current student enrollment is 204, and the school has more licensed graduates than any other acupuncture and Chinese medicine school in Texas.  AOMA also conducts more than 20,000 patient visits annually in its student intern and professional clinics.

The use of acupuncture is on the rise in the United States. The number of visits rose from 27.2 to 79.2 per 1,000 adults between 1997 and 2007. According to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), approximately 3.1 million adults in the United States used acupuncture within the year prior to 2007, a 47 percent increase from the 2002 NHIS estimate. The increases are related to increasing evidence for acupuncture in the treatment of medical ailments including chemotherapy-induced nausea, chronic back pain, hypertension and allergic rhinitis.

James Davis, senior Vice President for Mission Integration, Seton Healthcare Network says, “We have seen increasing demand for alternative and complementary medicine from our patients, and have been pleased to partner with AOMA administration and faculty to provide this care at Seton Medical Center Williamson and Seton GoodHealth Commons. AOMA curriculum includes the study of integrating acupuncture and Chinese medicine with Western medicine, and students are able to see how this works in practice through our partnership,” Davis says.

AOMA Student Association President Cynthia Clark says students are looking forward having a new main campus, and to participating in the detailed design process. “The plans for the new campus are exciting for students,” Clark said. “The new campus has a more cohesive feel. We will have a larger library, improved technology, more space for clinical practice, and better places to gather and to study,” she said.

AOMA’s student intern clinic and bookstore/retail space are already open at the new 4701 Westgate Blvd. site. The existing professional clinic and bookstore/retail space at AOMA’s current location at 2700 West Anderson Lane will remain to serve patients and customers after the new campus is in full operation beginning in April, 2011. AOMA also serves patients at Seton Topfer clinic, Seton GoodHealth Commons, and People’s Community Clinic.

The extensive remodeling of the new campus site has been designed by Austin architectural firm Steinbomer & Associates, known for their design of Austin Studios, the private airport hangar at Austin-Bergstrom Airport and 524 North Lamar, among other projects. Detailed design is currently underway, with construction anticipated to begin in winter 2010. The outline of the new campus design is available at www.aoma.edu.

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About AOMA                        

The Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin offers a masters level graduate program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, preparing its students for careers as skilled, professional practitioners.  AOMA is known for its internationally recognized faculty, award-winning student clinical internship program, and for having more licensed graduates than any other acupuncture and Chinese medicine school in Texas. Since its founding in 1993, AOMA has grown rapidly in size and reputation, drawing students from around the nation and faculty from around the world. AOMA also conducts more than 20,000 patient visits annually in its student and professional clinics. AOMA collaborates with healthcare institutions including the Seton Healthcare Network, and gives back to the community through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and by providing free and reduced price treatments to people who cannot afford them.

The Academy of Chinese medicine at Austin is located at 2700 West Anderson Lane, Austin, Texas, 78757. AOMA also serves patients and retail customers at its south Austin location, 4701 WestGate Blvd.  For more information see www.aoma.edu or call 512-492-3051.

A biomedical view of Shang Han Lun

Date:

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 19:00 - 20:00

Presenter:

Will Morris

Watch this Webinar:

Click here to enter webinar: it's Free & No registration required

In the biomedical view of Shan Han Lun, we will explore western physiological concepts related to the practice of Shang Han Lun. We discuss concepts such as the peripheral nervous system, the sympathetic-parasympathetic axis and the affects of the neuro-vascular-humeral loop. Western systems theory is woven into the Shang Han Lun Stages.

Acupuncture Improves Quality of Life Among Breast Cancer Patients

Eleanor M. Walker, et al at Henry Ford Hospital (Michigan), determine that “Acupuncture appears to be equivalent to drug therapy in these patients. It is a safe, effective and durable treatment for vasomotor symptoms secondary to long-term antiestrogen hormone use in patients with breast cancer.” 


They studied 50 breast cancer patients, randomized to receive either acupuncture or drug (venlafaxine) treatment for 12 weeks. Both groups experienced a 50% decline in hot flashes and depressive symptoms.  Over time, the acupuncture group  experience minimal hot flashes, while the drug therapy group had a significant increase in hot flashes. The acupuncture group did not experience an increase in the frequency of their hot flashes until three months post-treatment. The group further sated that ”the acupuncture group experienced no negative adverse effects. Acupuncture had the additional benefit of increased sex drive in some women, and most reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being.”


While 50 is an insufficient number to create the power to generalize, this is a very promising study. It is one more piece of knowledge that demonstrates that acupuncture and Chinese medicine have a place in the American medical systems. 


Go here for a link to the study

AOMA Accreditation - Integrator Blog Top 10

Integrative Medicine and Integrated Healthcare Round-up: December 4, 2009-January 5, 2010

Two Integrator Top 10 lists for integrative care from 2009 ... LA Times article on licensed CAM practices and non-discrimination provision in Harkin's Senate health legislation ... George DeVries' transformation of American Specialty Health into a health and wellness firm ... Academy of Oriental Medicine of Austin becomes first AOM school to gain regional accreditation ...  Adam Perlman, MD, MPH and Ben Kligler, MD, MPH take over as chair, vice chair for CAHCIM ... AOM accrediting agency still seeks comments on "First Professional Doctorate" standard for the field ...  Frank Nicchi, DC, MS honored for strengthening chiropractic-public health ties ... Bravewell, the IOM and the AARP join to found Healthy Nation Partnership; inputs solicited ... American Association for Health Freedom becomes Alliance for Natural Health-USA ... New York Beth Israel creates no-cost, online Prepare for Surgery program ... Seattle-based Alternative Health Access Campaign seeks to meet growing demand among the homeless ... Oregon's largest natural health clinic opened by National College of Natural Medicine ... Chiropractors in campaign to regain recognition as providers by Boy Scouts of America ... Integrative Healthcare Symposium sponsors major conference in New York, February 25-27, 2010 ... North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine set for May 15-18, 2012 in Portland, Oregon ... New American Holistic Medicine Research Institute formed with led venerable Robert Anderson, MD in lead; sets sights on first multicenter project ... Massage accrediting agency seeks public member ...  H1N1 lifts dietary supplement sales ... Michael Cohen re-frames his legal services 

Pulse diagnosis from a 10,000 foot view: Time Space State

Dear All:

Thursday, January 14th 07:00 pm - 08:00 pm PST Pulse diagnosis from a 10,000 foot view: Time Space State. I provide the backbone for my dissertation on Chinese Pulse Diagnosis: Epistemology, Practice and Tradition. It's free, it's cool.

Click here to watch the webinar:

http://healthstream.tv/tv/pulse-diagnosis-10000-foot-view-time-form-and-state

Pulse diagnosis from a 10,000 foot view explores pulse from the perspective of how we build clinical knowledge from the pulse. It structures the information according to time, space and state. Useful methods are discussed, such as the use of the three burners for selecting back shu points. Warmly,


Will

Other topics this month on TCMTV - go to this link and click on the calendar option for access http://tcmtv.net/

Tuesday January 19th 7-8pm PST Biomedical View of Shang Han Lun

In the biomedical view of Shan Han Lun, we will explore western physiological concepts related to the practice of Shang Han Lun. We discuss concepts such as the peripheral nervous system, the sympathetic-parasympathetic axis and the affects of the neuro-vascular-humeral loop. Western systems theory is woven into the Shang Han Lun Stages.

Tuesday January 26th 7-8pm PST Politics of Evidence

Politics of evidence is a discussion that is vital to the evolution of Chinese medicine in the west. With the advent of Evidence Based Medicine, we are quickly defining what constitutes good knowledge. This presentation speaks about the risks, benefits and alternatives to the emerging Evidence Based Medicine standards.

Happy New Year...

Dear People of the AOMA community

Happy New Year...

Here is to wishing you great health, wealth, happiness and harmony. It is such a great privilege to serve where transforming lives and communities is the mission.

In reflection, 2009 was an amazing year for AOMA. We achieved membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools http://sacs.org/. This is a unique honor and it makes AOMA a representative of high quality education in the field of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Anne Province is who I will name as the prime mover on this extraordinary multi-year effort.

The facilities team timed and performed the build out of a new clinic for AOMA that is sparkly. Smart rooms were implemented, so that the LCD projectors are drop downs from the ceiling. The foot print of the campus was reconstructed around a “back quad” with the Coi pond and turtles in the center. All of the potential chaos was contained and the move happened in a way that people were comfortable, and change management can be a demanding set of efforts. Kudos to the facilities team – Stuart Bailey and Aaron Shafer. Linda Fontaine – the genius negotiator made it possible and Anne Provicnce the genious planner made the timelines spot on!

The Student Association leadership under Cynthia Clark has flourished with learning activities and participation in national professional association activities. AOMA is truly fortunate to have such a committed and active group of students. It is often times difficult to raise one’s head above the demands of building the knowledge, skills and abilities of a new profession. This group of people has a vision and I believe will make a difference in the field.

It is AOMA’s faculty who are the resource that these efforts are built to ensure

There are new developments in clinics, the Southwest Symposium and other updates regularly refreshed by the awesome Sarah Bentley - http://www.aoma.edu/.

Brenda Thompson is doing a spectacular job assisting us in getting our message out http://www.brendathompson.com/.

Thank you all - much love and happiness in the New Year!

Warmly - Will

AOMA accredited by SACS

On Monday, December 7^th at 5:00pm, AOMA (Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin) achieved membership in SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).

Dear AOMA Community,

Anne Province and I are here at the SACS Conference in Atlanta Georgia.  We have great news.  The Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin was granted full membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Thanks to each and every one of you for the efforts you have placed in this endeavor. It is a sign of the excellence this community brings to the table, not just in our field but in the field of higher education.  We are transforming lives and communities.

Thank you!

Will and Anne

Accreditation is a voluntary process whereby academic institutions seek recognition for meeting academic standards. AOMA maintains both programmatic and regional accreditation. Accreditation is typically conducted by private not-for-profit agencies, which receive recognition from the USDE (United States Department of Education).

For learners in the AOMA community, accreditation gives a particular sheen of quality to the degree. On a practical level, a regional accredited degree allows for transfer of credits into other university programs when appropriate. Similarly, graduates of AOMA’s master degree program may qualify to enter PhD and other doctoral programs with master degree requirements for admissions. A regionally accredited master degree also makes it possible for AOMA graduates to teach in college settings.  

Regional accreditation is AOMA’s most recent land mark accomplishment. It is a high level of quality recognition for the AOMA community including students, faculty, staff, patients, partners, alumni and board of governors. Most well-known colleges or universities participate in regional accreditation. As AOMA’s president, I sit next to presidents of schools ranging from Texas A&M to Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi to Georgia Tech.  It is inspiring and it is a new day for the AOMA community.

 

AOMA has experience in programmatic accreditation via ACAOM (Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) since 1996. Programmatic is a specialized accreditation for educational programs that prepare people for specific professions.  Schools of medicine, psychotherapy, chiropractic and physical therapy all have programmatic accreditors. ACAOM does this for acupuncture and Oriental medical education.

AOMA is the first single purpose school of AOM (acupuncture and Oriental medicine) to achieve regional accreditation. Other schools have accomplished regional accreditation with multiple programs. AOMA is also the first school of AOM in the SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). Further, SACS is the last regional accreditor to recognize a school with an AOM program. We save the best for last!

Here is my official communication to the AOMA community when we discovered that we were invited to the official reception for new SACS member schools: