The Luo Down - Spring Issue, March 2007
"A Special Vessel of Communication Between Channels"
Southwest Acupuncture College
Santa Fe & Albuquerque, New Mexico
Boulder, Colorado

In this issue:

NCCAOM Exam Changes

2007– The Year of the Pig

Thank You

Adventure in Fundraising

Alumni Survey Report

Life at the Santa Fe Campus

What Do You Think of Our Clinic?

Acupuncture State Licensure Requirements

Self Study 2007

Come & Go

The Future of Acupuncture

2006 Higher Education Tax Benefits

SWAC & American Clay Interiors

Graduate Herb Garden

Graduate Herb Garden Membership Form

An Update on NCCAOM Exam Changes
By Melanie Crane, M.S. Ed., Academic Dean, Boulder Campus

Since the NCCOM is moving to a model of testing called adaptive testing, students preparing to take the NCCAOM exams must familiarize themselves with how these exams work as part of their preparation to take the national exams.

The change to adaptive testing means that students must understand how to take this kind of exam. These changes will also impact the timing of your application and the timing of when you take the tests.

The NCCAOM has created a limited “field test” opportunity during February and March since failing scores during this time will not be reported. This does not mean that students must take these exams during February and March. Beginning in February, students will be able to test at any time. Students can now test during a school break, or away from scheduled midterms and finals, which is a great advantage to the testing student.

As a college, these changes have led to an adaptation in our policies about certifying you to take the national exams. Because these exams do not test what you have learned in academic class, but rather they test your readiness to enter the profession, we have determined that a sufficient amount of time in clinic experience and in review is necessary for your readiness to take an exam. Highlighted below are several issues to consider about this new model of exam.

NCCAOM Exam Changes
The NCCAOM will begin year-round testing beginning in February 2007. The Acupuncture examination has been combined with the Point Location exam. Biomedicine, Chinese Herbology and Foundations of Oriental Medicine remain as stand alone examinations. Deadline dates for registration have been eliminated. See the NCCAOM website at www.NCCAOM.org for specific exam details.

When SWAC Students Can Register For And Take The NCCAOM Exams
Any student who is within one calendar year of their graduation date can make a written request for the school to submit a Pre-graduation Verification form to the NCCAOM enabling them to sit for the exams. See your Academic Dean or Campus Director for more information.

Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) vs. Linear Exams
In Calendar Year 2007 Computer Adaptive Testing will be offered year-round starting in February 2007. Computer based linear exams (in which examinations are given a fixed set of questions) will be offered only for two weeks in April 2007 and again in October 2007. Candidates will have a choice as to which type of exam, adaptive or linear, will best suit their needs. See the NCCAOM website at www.NCCAOM.org for specific exam details.

Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) - An Explanation
Computer adaptive testing (CAT) means that a student's performance on one test question determines the difficulty level of the next ques- tion that will be delivered. Two things determine a test taker's score on a computer adaptive test: how many questions are correctly answered, and the difficulty level of the questions that are answered correctly. Atraditional fixed-length exam presents the same questions to each test taker without considering how well the person is doing on the exam. The score from a linear exam usually depends on the number of questions answered correctly. Traditional testing usually presents more questions than are necessary. For any single person there are questions on the test that are far too easy and far too hard. Answering easy questions correctly doesn't tell us much because most people answer the easy questions correctly. Likewise, answering difficult questions incorrectly tells us very little as well. It is better if a test is able to discover the level, on a scale of easy to difficult, where the person begins to encounter personally challenging questions. A score could be derived for that level, and a computerized adaptive test does just that.

Computer adaptive testing means that every student's test is as unique as they are. The test taking experience is not unlike the way in which a student might have been examined orally by a teacher long before the advent of standardized questions.

For the NCCAOM, computer adaptive testing means the ability to differentiate among test takers across a wide range of abilities, with fewer items and in less time than traditional tests. For students, it means a test taking experience that is both less intimidating (because the difficulty level is calibrated to each individual's ability) and less tiring (because it takes less time).

Are Some Questions In CAT Worth More Than Other Questions?
The entire concept of adaptive testing is that some questions are worth more than others. For the sake of this article, we can imagine that easy questions are worth one point, medium to difficult questions are worth two points, and hard questions are worth three points. And during your test, you will receive a mix of all three.

When you start the test, the computer test's algorithm will give you one or two medium to difficult questions. If you get these questions right, the computer will start giving you harder questions, which are worth more. If you get them wrong, the computer will "adapt," and give you easier questions.

An analogy for adaptive testing would be lifting weights at the gym. Imagine you're working out for the first time with a trainer who doesn't know your level - she might give you a 10-kilo weight to lift. If that's too heavy, she'll give you a lighter one; if it's too light, she'll give you a heavier one. As your trainer continues to work out with you, she learns your ability, and adjusts your workout accordingly. Your test is just the same - as you answer questions, the computer "learns" your level and gives you questions that it decides are at your level.

This approach is designed to make the adaptive test shorter and more accurate than a linear test (which must include a full range of easy, medium, and difficult questions) since the computer doesn't waste time by giving you questions that are either above or below your level.

Many students have said that the computer questions are harder than the questions on a linear test. This makes sense, if you realize that the test is adaptive - the test keeps giving you questions that are at your level. The linear test cannot do this; on the linear test, you have to answer a bunch of easy, medium, and difficult questions, so some questions will seem easy, oth- ers hard. The computer test, on the other hand, should in theory give you questions at your level, which could make the test seem harder than a linear test.

Can I Go Back And Change My Answers When Doing CAT? After you answer a question, you CANNOT go back to a previous question. So, make sure that your answer is correct before you continue.

Can I Skip A Question In CAT If I Don't Know The Answer?

Many people ask whether it's okay to leave any questions blank. The answer is an unequivocal NO. Leaving a question blank will be scored as an incorrect answer.

Wouldn't A Strategy Of Deliberately Answering The First Several Questions Incorrectly Give Me An Easier Test?
Again, the answer is an unequivocal NO. Using such a strategy most often will dig you into a hole from which you cannot recover later, as the first several questions “determine” your baseline ability. Too low a beginning baseline, and you will never get the more challenging questions that raise you into a passing score.

I Still Need More Information About CAT And The 2007 NCCAOM Exams, Where Do I Go?
The NCCAOM website at NCCAOM.org has detailed explanations about CAT and the administration of the calendar year 2007 examinations.

If you are eligible to take the NCCAOM exams according to the school policy, you need to follow the procedures below:

1. Go to www.nccaom.org and download free “NCCAOM Handbooks and Applications.”
2. Fill out and send the application form to NCCAOM according to the instructions.
3. Fill out the school’s Pre-Graduation Verification for NCCAOM Exams Request Form in the Administration Office.
4. Completion of a CNT course is not required to take the examination; however, NCCAOM certification will only be awarded after a notarized copy of the CNT course certificate is received. We recommend that you send your notarized copy of the CNT certificate with your application form at the same time.
5. Allow 10-12 weeks for processing your application before you are approved to test by NCCAOM.
6. Once you are approved to test, you can register and schedule your exam for any time that is available at a Pearson VUE testing center.

The NCCAOM address is:

NCCAOM
76 South Laura Street, Suite 1290
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: 904-598-1005
Fax: 904-598-5001
Web: www.nccaom.org

Next National and State Exam Dates
By Dr. Bingzeng Zou, Academic Dean, Albuquerque Campus

SWAC Internal Deadlines:
NCCAOM - We send transcripts to NCCAOM twice a month.
New Mexico State Exam - November 29, 2006
California State Exam - March 6, 2007

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2007 - The Year of the Pig
By Dr. Bingzeng Zou, Academic Dean, Albuquerque Campus

The 18th of February 2007 marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year in the sign of the Pig. The Chinese name for Pig is ZHU.

In China, the Pig (a more correct form would be the Boar) is associated with fertility and virility. To bear children in the year of the pig is considered very fortunate, and they will be happy and honest.

Contrary to its rather negative reputation in the West, the Pig of Chinese Astrology may be the most generous and honorable Sign of the Zodiac. Pigs have so much of the perfectionist in them that others may be inclined to perceive them as snobs, but this is a misconception. Pigs are simply possessed of a truly luxurious nature, one that delights in finery and riches (in surroundings, food, lovemaking and otherwise). This Sign believes in the best qualities of mankind and certainly doesn't consider itself to be superior. Pigs also care a great deal about friends and family and work hard to keep everyone in their life happy. Helping others is a true pleasure for the Pig, who feels best when everyone else is smiling.

The Pig type is usually an honest, straightforward and patient person. He/she is a modest, shy character who prefers to work quietly behind the scenes. When others despair, he/she is often there to offer support. It is easy to put trust in pig type; he/she won't let you down and will never even attempt to do so. Such people simply want to do everything right according to social norms.

The people of the pig type are conservative creatures of habit. They dislike being made to travel too far from familiar surroundings, unless it is a trip to the countryside. They love nature and are never happier than when they are out somewhere, far from the city.

Pigs are highly intelligent creatures, forever studying, playing and probing in their quest for greater knowledge. They can be misinterpreted as being lazy, however, due to their love of reveling in the good stuff. Pigs tend to make wonderful life partners due to their hearts of gold and their love of family. When they open up their world to a diverse group of people, they will truly bloom.

People born in the Year of the Pig are those born in the years of 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, and 2007. They are compatible with those born in the Years of Rabbits and Sheep.

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An Adventure in Fundraising Generous adj. gracious, unselfish; ample - generosity n.
By Dr. Skya Abbate, D.O.M. , Executive Director and Karen Rizzo, Administrative Director, Santa Fe Campus

Perhaps in anticipation of the Chinese year of the Golden Pig in February 2007, we were blessed not only with abundant snows to moisten the land but generous holiday contributions of food and clothing to the needy of our tri-city community.

In Santa Fe, in two separate drives, we collected 300 lbs. of food that were donated to Santa Fe Community Partnership and also 6 large boxes of warm clothing for both adults and children to be distributed to many local charities.

In Albuquerque, staff, students and patients provided donations of blankets, t-shirts, toys, footwear, toiletries and sheets to Healthcare for the Homeless, that offers a variety of healthcare and support services for the homeless in the Albuquerque community.

Boulder also collected about 100 lbs. of food for Community Food Share where over 30,000 residents in the contiguous areas live below the poverty level and hunger is a real part of their everyday lives.

Southwest Acupuncture College would like to thank all of you - teachers, staff, students and patients for your thoughtfulness during the food and clothing drives. During the coldest and most joyous time of year you addressed the concerns of those in need by sharing your kindness with them. God Bless You - Let's make this a tradition at Southwest Acupuncture College for years to come.

A feeling of warmth creates a kind of openness. You'll find that all human beings are just like you.
The 14th Dalai Lama

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An Adventure in Fundraising
By Colleen Ragan
Colleen is a December 2006 Graduate of Southwest
Acupuncture College, Boulder, Colorado.

Back in May, at the AOMA Conference in Keystone, CO, I sat in on a presentation I was really excited about. The group was Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB), and while I had been familiar with their work, I was interested in the details of what they did in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and how they functioned logistically. Hearing them got me fired up enough to remark to SWAC’s Boulder Campus Director that I wanted to organize a fundraiser for AWB. Her immediate relay of the thought to the AWB speakers moved the spontaneous idea to a commitment!

Back at school, I began talking about producing a simple event that could bring cash in with little to no outlay of funds (since we had none). I knew that if we had about ten people who believed it could be pulled off, it would be. The committee began brainstorming - we would have a band or two, gather items we could use for a silent auction, see who might donate food and drink, find a low cost venue, and as the Little Rascals used to say, “Put on a show!” Our theme would be New Orleans-flavored. We would tie in the return of AWB to that still devastated part of the country, as well as the new work that was beginning with veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We were going “Beyond the Bayou.”

Finding a place to hold the event was the first big challenge, and ultimately we chose the Grange Hall in Niwot - it was small but large enough, realistically priced and the date worked. We were operating around national board exams, finals, and band availability. Acouple of us put on our most convincing pitch faces and asked Honora Wolfe of Blue Poppy (based in Boulder) to donate cash...they came up with some and we secured the hall. The first band, locally well known and popular, the fabulous Zydematics, was an early lock, thanks in part to one of the players being husband to a recent graduate. They played Zydeco music, perfectly aligned with our theme, and WAY danceable! The second band proved harder to pin down, but a brand new student with ties to New Mexico hooked us up with the Kene Terry Band, out of Portales, and we were off and running - or dancing to their fusion of rock and country. Everyone loved both of these bands for their enormous talent, and because they played for acupuncture treatments and food. If you ever have a chance to hear the Zydematics, or the Kene Terry Band play a gig, do it... they deliver!

Our little committee hit up massage therapists, acupuncturists, art, clothing and jewelry stores, restaurants, old business contacts, friends, relatives, teachers and our school administrators for donations. We found many people who thought what we were doing was cool enough to participate in. That AWB could offer tax deductions was a strong selling point for locking down donations. We had people who participated in a marathon and collected donations in the name of AWB; students who were also tattoo artists, Qi Gong healers, homeopathy practitioners who donated their services; friends who did hair, friends in show business who donated promo- tional items; and in the name of SWAC, we received the most gorgeous Chinese scrolls. There were a wide variety of goods and services that were up for auction, and that people got for terrific prices.

Everybody made out! The donors got tax deductions, the winners took home great items, outstanding music and enjoyed food and drink, and had the satisfaction of knowing a worthy cause was helped. Everyone who attended heard and AWB got a big chunk of change to help fund their work in New Orleans and with the veterans. We were also fortunate to find Karen Marks, an area acupuncturist (and SWAC grad), who had been to New Orleans with AWB. She spoke about her experiences treating people there... and what she conveyed was very moving. It really helped to bring home why we were raising money for this organization. We had two acupuncturists do the NADA protocol on anyone who wanted to receive it - and about 20 people were treated that night.

I don't want to kid you, it was work pulling this event off. But we did it with a “no- to-low” budget. We put out a couple of press releases to select media and the local community supported radio station talked about it one day. We got on AWB's website as an upcoming event, put up flyers and sold as many advance tickets as we could. The entry to the event was $10 and additional donations were accepted. We pitched at our graduation ceremony and even raised some money there!

All that gathering resulted in a little over $3,600 for AWB after the bills were paid. When the event was completed, we wrote thank you letters to everyone who donated items for the silent auction and refreshments. We thanked people during the event, and we continue to promote the two bands by word of mouth. Not only did we raise money, more people were turned on to acupuncture, and all of us saw a project from idea to completion. We achieved something together and we all saw how easy it was to actu- ally accomplish this kind of “community building.”

My advice if you want to do a fundraiser? Give yourself as much lead time as possible and know that there will never be a perfect time. Find solid people who will do what they say they can do, and be prepared to pick up the slack. Be gracious in the face of the ball being dropped, thank everyone who helps, and believe you can do it... because you can. It's worth the effort!

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Southwest Acupuncture College 2005 Alumni Survey Report
By Dr. Bingzeng Zou, Academic Dean, Albuquerque Campus

Recently the school conducted an Alumni Survey for the graduates of 2005. We distributed 60 surveys to the 2005 graduates (21 graduated from Santa Fe, 17 from Albuquerque, and 22 from Boulder) and seventeen alumni responded to the survey (28% return rate). Five of them graduated from the Santa Fe campus, four from the Albuquerque campus, and eight from the Boulder campus.

Of the seventeen graduates that responded to the survey, eight are currently practicing acupuncture. Five of them have started their own practice. Two of them work as an Assistant/Associate with other acupuncturists, and one works as an employee. Four of the alum- ni rent or lease their office space, and one has an office in their home. The average number of patients they treat weekly are: three alumni treat between 1-10 patients, two alumni treat between 11-15 patients, and three of them treat between 16-25 patients per week. $60-$65 is the average charge per patient visit. Three alumni have a slid- ing scale and the charge ranges from $30 to $60. Two graduates stated their gross income is between $8,000-$28,000 for their first year of practice, and four graduates had between $20,000- $45,000 gross income for the first year of practice.

Four alumni spent between $2,500-$5,000 to start their practice. Two spent approximately $7,000 and one spent $10,000-$20,000 to start their practice. Two graduates started to practice acupuncture and Oriental medicine within one month of graduation; four within three months, one within six months, and one graduate began practice in six months to one year.

The approximate percentage of the follow- ing categories of illnesses that the alumni treat is: 31% physical medicine, 21% internal medicine, 17% OB/GYN, 8% pediatrics, 4% sports medicine, 3% psycho emotional, and 3% weight loss, stop smoking and addictions.

Of the nine alumni currently not practicing acupuncture, the major reason for four of them was that they were not licensed yet. Two had their own newborn baby, one was moving. One has other preferred means of support. Two graduates relocated to a city with an approximate population of 2,000-30,000, three to a city of 40,000-60,000, and six alumni to a city of 100,000-700,000. Five alumni moved to a city with approximately 1-25 acupuncturists. Two moved to a city of 30-60 acupuncturists, one to a city of 70-80, and five to a city of 80-400 acupuncturists.

Thirteen alumni felt they were well to very well prepared to begin clinical practice upon graduation from the college, and three felt they were adequately prepared. The areas they felt well prepared for are: case history, examination and intake, diagnosis, prognosis, acupuncture treatment, patient counseling, and patient referral (when to refer). All seventeen graduates felt the curriculum and training at Southwest Acupuncture College prepared them very well/fairly well to sit for the national exams. Sixteen graduates out of seventeen passed the NCCAOM Acupuncture exam on their first try, all seventeen graduates passed the NCCAOM Biomedicine, Foundation and Point Location exams, and fourteen out of seventeen graduates passed the NCCAOM Herbal exam. Two alumni took the New Mexico State Exam and both passed on their first try.

Two graduates belong to the Acupuncture Association of Colorado (AAC), and one graduate belongs to Oregon State Acupuncture Association.

In response to the survey question, “If you wish to make any general comments or suggestions about the school or the training you received”, the alumni suggested starting herbal training earlier, more practice management, more training in prognosis, more continuing education, and internships at real acupuncture clinics. They also commented that they are proud to have attended Southwest Acupuncture College, and that the China trip was a priceless experience.

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Life at the Santa Fe Campus and as the Campus Director
By Terry Lopez, Campus Director, Santa Fe

September 5, 2006, marks a very special and unique day in my life. It was my first official day as the Santa Fe Campus Director! So many things have happened and been accomplished since that first day - too many to mention in this article. The day-to-day learning and interaction with students, staff and faculty have been tremendous.

It was Orientation Day and I attended my first Orientation Session with fourteen new students. It was inspiring to witness the enthusiasm and passion of these students embarking on the first step towards their new lives and careers.

Many events took place in the fall semester. I implemented a Lunch/Brown Bag Series/Study Assistance Program. The purpose of this series was to provide ongoing assistance to students so that they may be successful in their education at Southwest Acupuncture College. Two classes were taught: Organizational Skills and Time Management. These classes included strategies to prevent procrastination, planning, prioritizing, developing goals, note-taking, reading texts to help maximize learning and developing effective monthly, weekly and daily schedules. Some staff and students attended these sessions and found the strategies, tips and techniques to be very helpful in their studies and work.

Besides academics, the Santa Fe Campus also held very successful food and clothing/blanket drives to help those in need.

For Halloween, a contest was held for the best costumes. Ric Craig and Valery Turner tied for first place and Debra Cahill won second place. Gift certificates for the School Bookstore were awarded. It was a fun day!

I have witnessed first hand the dedication of faculty and staff to providing the highest quality of education possible for our students. I have also seen the great and compassionate service to the community in this emerging field of effective medical care. It is a privilege and an honor to be part of this vision.

I sincerely thank all the staff, faculty, students, President Anthony and Executive Director Skya for welcoming me so warmly as “the new person on the block” at Southwest Acupuncture College - Santa Fe!

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What Do You Think of Our Clinic?
by Melanie Crane, M.S. Ed., Academic Dean, Boulder Campus

“Learning is best accomplished by doing” is our educational philosophy that makes our program unique. Therefore, we care about every student's feedback regarding the clinics. Every semester, we send out clinic evaluation forms to students to assess what the students are thinking and expecting. The following is the summarization of Santa Fe campus’s clinic evaluations from the Fall 2006 semester.

Feedback on physical environment and resources of Santa Fe Campus:

1. 98.9% of students “Agree” or “ Strongly agree” on the item of “the physical facilities for this clinic were appropriate.” 1.1% of students “Disagree” on this item. (There is one comment saying it will be better if the restroom is closer to treatment room.)
2. 98.9% of students “Agree” or “ Strongly agree” on the item of “the number of students per instructor was acceptable.” 1.1% of students “Strongly disagree” on this item.
3. 89.9% of students “Agree” or “ Strongly agree” on the item of “the clinic library resources were acceptable”. 5.05% “neither agree nor dis- agree” on it and 5.05% “disagree” on it.
4. 88.75% of students “Agree” or “ Strongly agree” on the item of “the clinic was well stocked”, while 5% “neither agree nor disagree” on it. 6.25% “disagree” on this item. (There were a few complaints that the clinic is not well stocked sometimes.)
5. Southwest Acupuncture College - Santa Fe! 93.4% of students “Agree” or “ Strongly agree” on the item of “the patient load was acceptable”, while 3.3% “neither agree nor disagree”. 3.3% “disagree” or “strongly disagree” on this item.

Feedback on clinic education:
Although students take different kinds of clinics with different supervisors, they all highly evaluated their supervisors and their clinic edu- cation. They all highly appreciated what they learned from supervisors, from their hands-on teaching, and from the patients too. Some students strongly suggested we offer more herb clin- ics in every semester, and offer more herb clinics in our program.

We hear your voice; we appreciate your feedback; we will make every effort to make our program, our campus, our clinics as perfect as you expect!

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Acupuncture State Licensure Educational Requirements
By Dr. Denise LaRosa, Campus & Clinic Director, Albuquerque

Since many of you are starting to plan for your future acupuncture practices, the enclosed chart is designed to illustrate the varying levels of educational requirements for specific states that you may be considering.

Because professional regulation is a state issue, not federal, each state regulates its education, licensing and scope of practice. Items that may be of particular importance have been typed in bold. For example, four of the listed states require a bachelor's degree as an undergraduate requirement and Nevada also requires a separate state exam with the passage of the NCCAOM within 2 years of applying for a license. All states accept NCCAOM exams with 42 states having them as a requirement. California is the only state that has it's own licensing exam that can be taken twice a year, typically in January and August.

The use of title of license is not listed, but the majority of states use the title Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) or Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.) which signifies primary training in Acupuncture and/or Oriental Medicine through a 3 to 4-year master's level degree or diploma from a school approved by ACAOM (Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). Four states, New Mexico, Nevada, Florida and Rhode Island have Doctor of Oriental Medicine titles with New Mexico and Nevada requiring state practical exams.

The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) is one of the national organizations that was founded in the 1980's which upon consultation with schools and colleges of acupuncture, acupuncture professional associations, and other members of the acupuncture community, created standards for education and clinical training for master's level degree program in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. More recently, ACAOM developed standards for postgraduate doctoral programs for those who wish to pursue their education beyond the master's level. ACAOM is the only accrediting agency for acupuncture and Oriental medicine academic programs recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

NCCAOM
Also created in the early 1980's was the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). NCCAOM is an autonomous, non-profit organization, which has a mission to establish, assess, and promote recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the protection and benefit of the public. In order to fulfill their mission they developed a certification process that provides a unified set of nationally verified, entry-level standards for safe and competent practice. It is a considerable professional achievement to become a Diplomate of the NCCAOM and earn the designation Diplomate in Oriental Medicine (Dipl. O.M.), Diplomate in Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.), Diplomate in Chinese Herbology (Dipl. C.H.) or Diplomate in Asian Bodywork Therapy (Dipl. A.B.T.).

CCAOM
Counsel of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) is a membership organ- ization of schools and colleges that offer acupuncture and Oriental medicine degree programs. The Council also administers a clean needle technique course (CNT) and exam, required by the NCCAOM for certification in acupuncture.

Click here to download the Acupuncture State Licensure Educational Requirements (pdf, 260 KB).

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Self Study 2007: Building A Safe Community in the Midst of the Culture of Rude
By Valerie Hobbs, Dipl. O.M., L. Ac., Campus Director, Boulder

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world... as in being able to remake ourselves.” - Mahatma Gandhi

I have a secret confession to make. I hate evaluations. Really, really loathe them. Every time evaluation time rolls around, I sink into a very crabby mood, and it takes a while working in clinic - which grounds me in the real world - to get myself out of it.

I have struggled with evaluation week for the entire nine years that I have been involved in education or administration at SWAC. Over the last three years, I have led a project to re-vamp how we administer evaluations, and I have drunk deep of the academic terminology well in order to better understand the process. I have attended trainings and faculty review meetings, spent countless hours scouring the Internet, read entire training documents of major universities. These and efforts of a lot of people led to a more accurate method of how we give and collect feedback through evaluation.But it has not shaken my basic dread of having to read them.

My dread stems from the very few comments I have read over the years that are so onerous, so shockingly hateful, that I have to wonder what caliber of mind could produce such vitriol. I wonder if anonymity gives otherwise seemingly decent people a license to inflict harm just because they can, or if these comments are the true reflection of the writer's character. Sometimes it seems to me that evaluations call out a pack of wild dogs, who when sensing weak- ness, know just what vital organ to target. Maybe people just have to let off steam.

Then I realize that this phenomenon is not unique. I recently visited a video arcade with my teenage son. The amount of derogatory shouting - expressed anonymously over a live Internet Halo game was rather revealing. In fifteen minutes of watching the anonymous play, I heard much more derision than in the nine years I had been reading evaluations.

We operate in an American culture, the experts say, that is becoming much more rude. According to an ABC News poll conducted in February 2006, 41 percent of Americans admit to sometimes being so busy and pressed for time that they're not as polite as they'd like to be. Among those under age 35, it's 48 percent. It drops to 38 percent among their elders. We might think that the older you get the more you disparage youth, but it turns out, younger people do tend to be more rude. And if just being pressed for time has erased our civility, imagine adding the stress of final exams, topped with a whopping dose of student loans.

I have come to realize that our colleges are artificial communities. While we may think that we all enter this college community with the same values, in fact, people from all walks of life enter the community because that's where the education is delivered. There is no general agreement on how we should conduct ourselves with each other. I have often wondered why, given the same curriculum, very similar teachers, even the same buildings, some years go by more smoothly than others. I have come to understand the answer is that the variable, what creates a supportive community or a disconnected one, is the students themselves. What values students bring in are the values students take out.

However it has happened, we are being transformed into a service economy, and the larg- er society value seems to be “How can you be of service to me?” As an educational institution, some of us, maybe many of us, deep-down feel the same way. “The Entitlement Generation,” consisting of those born between 1979 and 1994, has been the subject of articles, studies, even books on the changing face of American expectations. Robert Samuelson, columnist in the Newsweek and The Washington Post, wrote ten years ago in The Good Life and Its Discontents: The American Dream in the Age of Entitlement that economic development has pushed Americans to expect the impossible, with the net result being an attitude of crabbiness and disillusionment with what they have. Americans tend to focus on what is wrong. Samuelson postulates that what should develop out of the disillusionment is to lower expectations and increase personal responsibility. It means making choices, recognizing limits and clarifying accountability.

This year, 2007, is the year we will undergo an accreditation-required Self Study. As such, it offers the entire college a range of possibility for introspection and redirection. As part of this process, we will ask for feedback from all members of the college community, including alumni. Some of this feedback, dare I say, comes in the form of anonymous evaluation.

This all leads me to ponder safety within our community. No real change can happen without candor, and no real candor can happen without upholding and being accountable for the safety of all concerned. Ensuring this safety requires the adoption of common values. What would those values be? Among them I would honor integrity, academic freedom, respect, inclusion, compassion, and the placement of patient care as our primary concern. Harsh criticism spoken in the language of these values can bring about change. Criticism spoken in any other way serves mainly to seek vindication for oneself.

A quote from Mahatma Gandhi opened this article. I really believe that change is made through active and personal transformation. Given that we live in an America that has produced an undercurrent of “Me First,” providing safety for others requires us to deliberately choose to act upon a different value system. I truly believe that when a person holds fast to the safety of the community, even dissenting opinions can be given and received with compassion.

We all evaluate each other daily. As you respond to an inquiry from a loved one, as you fill out your next evaluation, and as you enter into a life of evaluating patients, I ask you to consider if your statements are based in a desire to further each other, or in a desire to express your own dissatisfaction. In Samuelson's words, when you are asked to look at the processes around you, make choices, recognize limits, and be accountable.

Valerie Hobbs is the Coordinator for this year’s Self-Study.

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Come & Go
By Andrew Thomasson

If you spend any time on the Boulder campus during lunch, you may have noticed a group of people staring intently at a board filled with stones. This is the SWAC Go Club, an informal gathering of SWAC students and faculty with a full spectrum of skill levels.

Go, also commonly called weiqi, is the oldest board game known to mankind, pre-dating chess by a span of time lost to the ages. The contest of tactics holds Chinese roots with branches having evolved throughout eastern Asia. It was in the style of the Japanese, however, that Go became popular in the West.

The rules to play Go are as straightforward as the play is nebulous. Players are divided into white or black and take turns placing stones of their color on the intersection of lines on a grid. Stones surrounded by the opposing color are considered to be lacking qi and are removed from the board. Reflecting ancient military maneuvers, the goal is simply to conquer more territory. The game ends when neither player can make a beneficial move. A handicap, consisting of a number of stones placed on the board prior to the game, allows for competitive games between different skill levels. In Go, the master is also a student. There is no room for pride and nowhere to hide on the Go board.

Students, faculty and staff, with or without experience, are all invited to attend the weekly gathering. Learning is quick and easy. The skills developed while watching yin and yang play out on the board definitively transfer into all levels of life, especially TCM. So come play Go, and experience a great legacy of Chinese strategy.

Andrew Thomasson is a second-year student at the Boulder Campus of Southwest Acupuncture College. Andrew is currently serving as a student representative.

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The Future of Acupuncture
By Abbye Silverstein, L.Ac, Dipl.Ac, Clinic Director, Boulder

In 1972, after President Nixon returned from China, an exchange program between medical practitioners from both countries was established because a journalist, James Reston, had to undergo an emergency appendectomy. They removed his appendix using acupuncture as anesthesia! President Nixon was fascinated by this application of acupuncture. This began the recognized journey of acupuncture treatment in America.

In the early '80's, as a psychology counseling graduate student suffering from chronic back pain, I received acupuncture treatment in the San Francisco Bay area. When I moved back east to Maryland, I joyously found the student clinic at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in suburban Maryland. Acupuncture healed my pain and gave me a new career path. For many of us, our pursuit of acupuncture as a career has been driven by our own health and positive experience with this amazing ancient medical system.

Today, as Clinic Director and Supervisor of the Boulder clinic, I am an ambassador of this medicine. The Boulder clinic serves not only Boulder County but reaches into Larimer, Weld, Adams and Denver Counties (50 miles to the north, east and south of Boulder). The clinic provides over 800 treatments a month at below market fees plus a portion of our patients, such as cancer patients, are on our reduced fee program paying $0-$10 per visit. We are the primary healthcare provider and only form of healthcare for many of our patients. As a teaching clinic, we provide and fill a need in the community for affordable, cost effective (alternative/integrative) healthcare.

So, this brings me to the question, what is the future of Acupuncture in America? Consumers spend over $280 million dollars a year on services and products of Integrative Medicine. The Baby Boomers are going to reach Medicare age in 2008 and their demand for affordable healthcare will be heard loud and clear as AARPis the largest lobbying group in the U.S. Oh, did I mention that in the Boulder clinic 1/3 of our patients are 55+? Also, in the U.S., we have a growing number of uninsured who benefit from our medicine at the clinic. Insurance companies are not rallying to pay for acupuncture. Medicare does not pay for acupuncture. Acupuncture is paid for out-of-pocket and when most people can't afford $75+ treatments, how do we continue to serve our communities?

After 35 years of name recognition, acupuncture is at a crossroad in becoming mainstream. Hospitals want to have integrative medicine, but who pays for it? Many insurance companies want to offer acupuncture but don't want to pay for it; so, many offer out-of-pocket “discounts” not co-pays. How do we as practitioners delivery affordable healthcare?

We need another model other than the private practice model. As students in the school clinic, you experience a public health model that is cost effective and community based. Community based acupuncture clinics are springing up across America. These clinics offer sliding scale fees that are based on half the market rate. The clinic is divided into a large group room with comfortable chairs and several screened “private” areas for full body treatments. Practitioners and patients are both benefiting from this model. More patients are seen per hour with lower overhead resulting in more income per practitioner.

It is a win-win answer to an ever-growing problem about delivering safe cost-effective healthcare in the U.S.

As students who are entering the profession, I ask you to examine and explore this model as way for you to be of service and fulfill a need in the delivery of acupuncture as a safe cost effective healthcare system.

To find a clinic near you and read more about this public health/community based model go to: www.communityacupuncturenetwork.org.

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2006 Higher Education Tax Benefits
By Marcella Sanders, Financial Aid Officer

Many students who will file a 2006 federal income tax return are eligible for higher education tax benefits. The chart below provides only general and simplified information. For additional details, please visit the Bank of America website at www.bankofamerica.com/studentbanking/pdf/ taxguide.pdf.

Southwest Acupuncture College does not give advice about your taxes because it is the tax- payer's responsibility to decide on and verify the information used on a tax return. Should you need further assistance, we advise you to consult with a professional tax advisor.

A tax credit is an amount that can be subtracted from the federal income taxes you owe.
A tax deduction is an amount that can be subtracted from the income on which you must pay taxes.

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Southwest Acupuncture College Unveils Innovative Interiors with American Clay

Southwest Acupuncture College, one of the nations most significant academic institutions in the field of Oriental Medicine, has partnered with American Clay Earth Plaster (Santa Fe, NM) to create a unique environmental interior. With campuses located in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico, as well as Boulder, Colorado, this pact with the nationally accredited Southwest Acupuncture College represents one of the largest single commercial applications of American Clay Earth Plaster, an all-natural finish for interior walls and ceilings, in the nation.

Southwest Acupuncture College, a vanguard of higher education uniquely offering a first Professional Master's of Science in Oriental Medicine, is further renowned for its’ trio of campuses housed in beautiful, new sate-of-the-art buildings created to provide tranquil and healthy learning environments.

Academic visionary and Southwest Acupuncture College President, Anthony Abbate, D.O.M., believes that the school's mission to provide the highest quality of education is powerfully enhanced with his innovative use of clay walls.

“American Earth Clay Plaster's Venetian finish and patina of warm colors add to the sense of tranquility, peace and harmony I have tried to create on our campuses,” states Abbate. “The all-natural clay walls contribute to the healing process of the school. Campus interiors were literally transformed, creating a completely unique ambience, an entirely different feeling and acoustical experience than conventional wall treatments. The clay gives a softer sense than painted walls. It creates a calming spirit.”

He further notes, “People have used clay to put on their bodies to draw out impurities for centuries, and clay also creates negative ions - also good for you. These natural properties are what I wanted at the school. The school also strongly supports American Clay's environmentally-conscious features. AC is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, with low inherent energy and low waste.”

Source: Environmental Design & Construction (The Premier Source for Integrated High-Performance Building), March 2006 issue.

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Graduate Herb Garden

Dear Alumni,

Just as you are the seeds of Oriental Medicine in the United States, we ask for your patronage in helping us bring this seed of an idea to birth. Your support will enable future graduates to receive a more comprehensive education in herbology, pharmacology and, we hope, better patient care as a result of our live outdoor Chinese botanical garden. The purpose of the garden is as educational and functional as it is aesthetic. We plan to integrate it into the school environment to educate students and patients in the care and appreciation of medicinal plant life. Classes in Advanced Prescriptions and Pharmacology teach students plant physiology, preparation, and chemistry.

Donations are used to purchase correct strains of seeds from China, books and tools for harvesting and preparation of plant care, statuary, benches, trees, fountains, and other physical needs and the establishment of the soil and gardens for cultivation. All money donated for this purpose is put into a special fund only for the realization of this project. The first herb garden was established in May 2002 in Boulder and is doing well. If you would like to contribute to the Graduate Herb Garden, please fill out the membership form (click here).

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SWAC Alumni Association Registration Form

Please click here for the SWAC Alumni Association Registration Form.

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