Traditional Chinese Medicine World Lists Top Picks for U.S. Colleges of Oriental and Traditional Chinese

Business Wire, July 17, 2001

Business/Medical Writers

NEW YORK--(BW HealthWire)--July 17, 2001

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) World, the largest nationally distributed newspaper dedicated to educating consumers and healthcare professionals about TCM, lists winners of its "Best of the West 2000" survey of U.S. colleges of Oriental and traditional Chinese Medicine in it current summer edition.

It names three schools with top honors in all three categories - curriculum, faculty, and clinical training. Seven other schools are named as top winners in one or two of these categories. TCM World initiated this effort to identify institutions that preserve and protect the essence, philosophy and culture of TCM in the West.

To identify schools, TCM World sent the "Best of the West 2000" survey to colleges of Oriental and TCM throughout the U.S. asking: "Who is preserving this ancient knowledge and teaching it in the West? What are their qualifications? What approach to TCM knowledge is being utilized? What kind of hands-on clinical training is offered? How extensively is the curriculum rooted in TCM philosophy, theories and techniques? How deeply does it integrate TCM philosophy and theories with clinical practice?" Selections were based on survey responses, materials submitted by the schools, and personal interviews.

"Our Foundation, its newspaper and Web sites (www.breastcancer.com, www.tcmworld.org) receive many inquires about where to find the best TCM schools and qualified practitioners of TCM and acupuncture," explained Ellen Schaplowsky, TCM World executive editor. "This need for knowledge led us to develop the "Best of the West" search for schools providing the best classical TCM training. We're concerned that many people mistakenly believe acupuncture represents the totality of this complex medical system that's been in continuous use for more than 5,000 years."

                           OVERALL WINNERS:
              - FACULTY, CURRICULUM, CLINICAL TRAINING -

-   American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, San Francisco, CA
-   Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, Portland, OR
-   Texas College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Austin, TX

BEST FACULTY

-   American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine,
    Minneapolis, MN
-   International Institute of Chinese Medicine, Santa Fe, NM
-   National College of Oriental Medicine, Orlando, FL

BEST CURRICULUM

-   Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL
-   International Institute of Chinese Medicine, Santa Fe, NM
-   Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, San Diego, CA and New York,
    NY campuses

BEST CLINICAL TRAINING

-   Academy of Oriental Medicine, Austin TX
-   Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL
-   Dallas Institute of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, Dallas, TX
-   Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, San Diego, CA

      TCM World Foundation is a New York City-based nonprofit
organization dedicated to building bridges of understanding between
the East and West in the areas of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM),
Qigong, natural self-healing, and internal martial arts through
educational programs and projects.