UK TCM training AcuMedic + Asante?

[heidi f]

Hello all,

I cound't help but notice the last discussion on Acupuncture Colleges in the UK. I am in the process of deciding which college to attend myself at the moment and came across two interesting looking qualifications.

Oneisa Diploma in Chinese Healthcare and Acupuncture (DCHA) which is offered by the AcuMedic Foundation in Camden, London. This Diploma is apparently issued after 2.5 years of study by the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology! *rather posh me thinks!*
The other is a Diploma in Healthcare Acupuncture by Asante Academy, Middlesex University. Only takes about 8 months to get that one!

Both diplomas are only open for "Health Care Professionals" such as Nurses, GP's, Physiotherapists and such BUT are seen as full blown Acupuncture qualifications!

Just wandering if anyone on here as taken either diploma, how the course was structured, how informative it was...etc. And of course what some of the BSc Acupuncturists think about these courses!

Any input is highly appreciated!

 

[MarikaA1912]

You'd have to check to be sure, but I'm fairly certain neither of these qualifications would gain you entry into the British Acupuncture Council (the governing body for acupuncturists in the UK) as neither would meet the minimum standards for education.

The BAcC can be found here. They're a helpful bunch and would be keen to answer your questions!

Acupuncture is currently unregulated in the UK (it's in the process). This means you can award yourself a qualification with whatever fancy name you like, and start practicing tomorrow, if you were so inclined.
If you want to do it, do it properly! That means a college that is accredited with the BAAB (British Acupuncture Accreditation Board), minimum 3 years training, and automatic entry into the BAcC.

Aragorn

 

[doza]

Hi there

I'm not too sure about these courses. Maybe the acumedic one is ok if you're already a healthcare practitioner. Best to contact the BAcC.

Most doctors/nurses/physios do not practice TCM, but a Western version of acupuncture with none of the chinese medical theory which is why you can study it in a smaller time frame. Basically their method is, stick a needle where it hurts. Which is fine up to a point and can help with pain relief etc, but doesn't get to theroot of the problem and does not treat the individual as a whole.

I believe the BAcC were trying to get thegovernment (when the eventually regulate us!) to make doctors etc drop the title acupuncturist and to replace it with something similar to "therapeutic needling" as they are not using chinese theory to practice. There are governing bodies for that style too:

[link=http://www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk]www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk[/link]

and i believe there's one for physios too.

If you want a life transforming career in acupunture choose a fully accreditted course as listed in the other thread. If you just wish totreat symptomatically, maybe one of the others is ok.

Best Wishes

Tahora

 

[NolfglypeLype]

Thanks for the replies! I have heard the course of the British Medical Acupuncture Society ([link=http://www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk/]www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk[/link] ) is aweful! Some Acupuncturists believe everyone with a certificate/degree from this organisation should be banned! []

What puts me off the so called "BAcC acredited schools" is their outragous fees! £4000-£5000 per year for 3 years for a part-time course is not something that I as an average person can affors just like that...

But as to the BAcC...how important are they? There are several different Acupuncture organisations in the UK...I could name 3 from the top of my head. Two of those are claiming to be "governmental advisors" for the regulation of Acupuncture in the UK. Again - this is what I have heard and the reason why I'm asking! The membership fee of the BAcC is to my knowledge also quite hight (around £600 or so annualy).

So...how important is membership with the BAcC in the end???

 

[KaNi]

Hi there.

I don't know the ins and outs of the other governing bodies, but the BAcC is very important (and advising government etc)

The fees are so high because although you can study just at weekends they are still full time degree courses - they aren't odd hours scattered through the week like a usual BSc course, it's condensed. They are considered full time by the government also.

You can study for much less by going to Westminster or Salford as these are structured like normal degree courses and the government subsidise the fees like with other university courses. For some bizzare reason most can not get a student loan for the weekend courses even if they are affiliated with a university. It is something to do with them being private colleges. You can however get a career development loan for £8000, like i mentioned in the other thread.

As bad as it feels (and I feel it!!), the fees are not unresonable and you would pay this as a foriegn student in any of our universities. It just comes down to the fact that the fees are not subsidised for us. It does drive me mad, especially as we walk out of the course with full earning potential unlike many other courses they throw money at. (Rant rant rant....!)

The British Acupuncture Council haveVERY high standards in order for us to maintain credibility in a country where anyone could set up shop and potentially harm someone (did you know that there are laws protecting animals, but not humans?).

Aragorn would know more about what the membership fees go towards as I'm not yet practicing, but I trust that it's worth it.

Just remember that anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it. I earn very little over minimum wage and am getting myself through and all the struggles have been worth it a million times over

Tahora x

 

[bthzvcnx]

Cost-wise, I thinks it's very reasonable actually! About half as much as Osteopathic training.
Of course once you're earning steadily from the work, the costs look even less. (I made my full course fees back in the first 4 months of this year in takings).

The BAcC is the only body that governs professional acupuncture in the UK. Are you thinking of the other bodies that are affiliated with western health professionals? Sort of like a bolt-on technique?

The word acupuncture is used a lot to mean very different things. I think it's important to know exactly what it is you are interested in studying. To use acupuncture as a stand alone therapy for the diagnosis and treatment of illness inline with traditional means, without the need to use any other modality, requires a BAAB accreditied course. Simple as that.

All organisations that have a direct interest in acupuncture are part of the talks going on with the government to regulate the profession. This is a matter of some importance. It needs to regulate every acupuncture-based profession, otherwise individual groups could simply say, "Well, that's not what we do!" and carry on practising unregulated.

If you are a nurse, GP, or physio, and want to add acupuncture-like techniques to your skills, then a BAAB accredited course would not be necessary. If you are currently non-medical, and wish to help and support patients competently, effectively, and be "regulation-ready" (for whenever it eventually happens), chosse a BAAB accredited course, or your fingers could end up badly burnt!

HTH
Aragorn

 

[dave s]

Thank you Tahora and Aragon!

Aragon, I didn't know that the income Acupuncturists make is so good! I have heard about quite a few starving Acupuncturists in the UK - mainly outside London!

How long until the regulations you mentioned are coming in? I think this is yet another UK legislation story...some time, some day...

What is the average income of Acupuncturists in the UK anyway these days...if this is notto private...?

 

[MAFALDAN]

Hi TCMStudent
The regulation is definitely not an urban legend! It is ongoing as we speak, but progress is slow. Getting everyone to agree on what needs to be involved is, er... well. Hmmm....

Average income from acupuncture? Sorry, no idea. I am in the South East UK and charge £30 per treatment. I do about 35-40 treatments per week. I suppose it all depends on where you are located, what the demand is like and how well you apply yourself to working. Same as anything really.

So, where did you get to with deciding on a college??

Aragorn

 

[shahab_phoenix]

Hi Aragorn,

I am thinking about either Uni of Westminster or Middlesex University. Both courses sound fantasitc! But my preference would be Middlesex. Its a 4 year course which teaches Mandarin language, Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine. So at the end of the 4 years you are qualified as Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist...

I'll let you know once I have a place! And thanks again for the advice!