Southern California University of Health Sciences Launches First Professional Doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

WHITTIER, Calif., May 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is proud to announce the launch of a landmark new First Professional Doctorate Program in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. This is the only doctoral program of its type in the United States and has received regional accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Until now, the majority of Oriental Medicine doctoral programs in the U.S. were post-masters doctorates that required a minimum of master's degree to enroll. Typically, the duration of these programs lasted five to six years in total length. SCU is the nation's preeminent college for acupuncture and oriental medicine and this new doctoral program is unique because it does not require a master's degree for enrollment and can be completed in only 3½ years. SCU graduates receive the same doctorate title, prestige, and exceptional education, but in half the time and at half the cost with comparable programs from other universities.

In addition to the fact that SCU does not require a master's degree to enroll in its First Professional Doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, what makes this curriculum particularly impressive is the exceptional level of expertise students acquire in a short amount of time. The program includes extensive exploration into acupuncture and oriental medicine, integrating both clinical and evidence-based perspectives. Students also are required to develop and author a capstone project where they produce an original, academic- or research-based work that seeks to advance acupuncture as a discipline and profession.

To further support these efforts, SCU students have the opportunity to select from a variety of complementary areas of academic and practical focus. SCU offers concentrations in orthopedics, reproductive medicine, healthy aging, Ayurveda, and massage therapy. Each of these areas includes subject-specific classes and extensive clinical externships in integrative facilities dedicated to the particular areas of study. Doctoral competencies required in SCU's programs include patient care systems, collaborative care, professional development, and clinical/academic research.

As with all of SCU's academic programs, the primary goal for the First Professional Doctorate is to emphasize inter-professional education and patient centered care. At SCU, the comprehensive curriculum ensures that students are given the right skills and education to be competitive in today's healthcare environment. This way, SCU graduates in the alternative and complementary healthcare fields will be able to continually excel at integrative medicine and can function easily within a multi-disciplinary healthcare environment.

"We are leading the acupuncture profession into an exciting new era. One where SCU graduates will be better prepared than ever to provide integrated healthcare to patients, become part of a skilled team of medical professionals, and contribute in a substantial way to the future of healthcare in this country," says Dr. Greg Sperber, Dean of SCU's College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

The SCU First Professional Doctorate in Acupuncture Oriental Medicine, set to launch in September of 2014, has already generated a significant amount of interest from both new as well as transfer students from other colleges and universities. SCU has started accepting applications for its fall term and federal financial aid is available to those who qualify. For more information on the First Professional Doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, please visit http://www.scuhs.edu/admissions/landingDAOM.

About Southern California University of Health Sciences

For over a century, SCU has trained men and women for successful and significant careers in patient care. Located on a beautiful 25-acre campus in Whittier, California, SCU students enjoy a quiet suburban atmosphere with the advantages of being near a large metropolitan area. The school offers a variety of integrative healthcare degree programs including a Master's in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and a Doctorate in Chiropractic. SCU offers an on-campus anatomy lab, radiology lab and extensive hands-on experience both on and off campus. The university also offers a Diagnostic Imaging residency program, a Chiropractic Sports Medicine residency program, a Primary Spine Care Practitioner residency program, and is one of five universities chosen to participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs very first Chiropractic Residency Program. For information on the Southern California University of Health Sciences, please visit: http://www.scuhs.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jackie Silverman
Chief Public Affairs Officer
Southern California University of Health Sciences
(562)-902-3377
[email protected]

SOURCE Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU)