A Note from the ASDC President

These are exciting times for our profession. We truly are on the threshold of political and social changes that may significantly influence the way our profession is perceived by the general public and accepted by the scientific community. Will Morris, DAOM, L. Ac., writes of a brighter future for acupuncture in the January issue of Acupuncture Today, referring to the increase in publicity, more and better research, emphasis on lowering health care costs and quantifiable measurement of outcomes.

AAAOM is lobbying heavily in the halls of congress to pass HR646, the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2009 which will add acupuncture to Medicare and federal health insurance. There are now 36 co-sponsors with additional commitments pending. Please see:  www.aaaomonline.info/medicare_fact_book.pdf ; www.rallycongress.com/aaaom .

In an effort to further advance the Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (AOM) profession, energetic members of the AOM professional community and the ACAOM formed a task force to develop and review educational standards for what has come to be called the First Professional Doctorate. These  standards, if adopted by ACAOM, will allow institutions to consider developing such programs if they feel that the educational marketplace will support them.

A Presidents' Council has been formed and a charter written in order to collect and discuss state level concerns and issues, provide the AAAOM with information on state issues affecting AOM practitioners and to collaborate with the AAAOM in promoting the profession of Acupuncture on a national level.

Our proverbial pot is being stirred. It’s quite possible that we, practitioners in the nation’s capitol, may be called upon to represent our profession to political decision makers, as was done in California at the National Federation for Women Legislators’ 72nd annual convention in September. AOM professionals in California volunteered their time by providing hands on treatments, one-on-one dialogues and presentations for the 500+ senators and congresswomen in attendance.

Let us be ready for whatever comes our way. This strong undercurrent is building up and moving. We’ll want to move with it. Stay informed. Stay current. Grow your skills.

Annual ASDC Meeting March 27, 2010

ASDC's Annual Membership meeting is scheduled for Saturday March 27th at 12:30. Meeting location is 4545 42nd Street NW, Suite 301. ALL MEMBERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND. Our Board is currently short two officers, a Secretary and a Treasurer. These positions must be filled from our membership. While none of us are obligated to serve our profession, all of us share the benefits of those who do. If you have not yet supported your local organization, now is the time. You may nominate yourself or someone who you believe can support our efforts by sending an email with your nomination to info@dcacupuncture.org.

These positions will be voted on by the members at the upcoming Annual Meeting on March 27th:

SECRETARY

• Keep minutes and records, except financial, of all ASDC meetings

• Support Vice President communication/media duties, i.e. newsletters, research, website

• Other duties as prescribed by the Executive Committee

TREASURER / MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

• Supervise  general funds of the ASDC

• Record all collections and disbursements of ASDC funds

• Provide report to the Executive Committee

• Receive, collect, record membership applications and payments

These positions require less than a couple of hours a month.

We are delighted to introduce Andrea May, our student intern for membership & news, who recently came on board.  Welcome Andrea!

Membership Renewals

Membership renewals will be due by the end of March.  We urge you to continue your involvement and support and to continue to let us know how we can best serve the D.C. community. Members are entitled to discounts on area workshops and certain suppliers. Remember that although we are a volunteer-operated non-profit organization, maintaining a website and monitoring legislative developments are not free. To make it easy for you, for the fourth year in a row we are not raising membership fees.  Stay with us and stay tuned!

Legislative updates from Michael Taromina

Mar. 12:  Laurel, MD.  Michael Taromina, AAAOM consumer representative and expert attorney in AOM, comes to TAI/Sophia to discuss legislation that is on the table, what it means for us, and how we can (and need) to act now to make sure new legislation is in our best interest. This is a meet and greet evening. Contact: www.tai.edu.
 
Mar. 13: Laurel, MD.  Michael Taromina, national representative for acupuncture on Capitol Hill will talk from 9 -noon to students on how what happens now on Capitol Hill will affect how we will be able to practice when we walk out the doors of Tai Sophia. Pricing is as follows: Pre-registration for both events: 15$; Pre-registration for Meet & Greet only: 10$; Pre-registration for lecture only: 5$;  At the door for both events: 25$ ;At the door for Meet & Greet only: 15$ At the door for lecture only: 10$.  Contact.  www.tai.edu.

Hold on or Move Quickly for the Year of the White Tiger

On Valentine's Day, the year of the white (or golden or metal) tiger begins. People born in the year of the tiger are considered courageous, dynamic, lively, social, adventurous and protective of their families.  However, they can also change their focus in a moment, and so can also be considered unreliable.  The tiger is a symbol of authority and power, so it fits for those in leadership, but sometimes not so well with relationships with individual people. Years of the tiger are associated with change and massive upheaval. The tiger is naturally associated with wood, so the metal tiger is put in a situation on the control (ke) cycle rather than the support (sheng) cycle--not a comfortable arrangement, liable to the aforementioned upheavals. If you can remain steady inside in the face of drama, or move with rapid change, this year can prove fruitful for you.  Sources: www.chiff.com; www.chinesefortunecalendar.com.

Research and News Bits

On moxa and hot flashes:

The severity and frequency of hot flashes in menopausal women showed great reduction following moxibustion treatment. In a recent study  by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, published in Menopause (July-Aug. 2009), 51 women, ages 45-60, received moxibustion to treat severe and frequent menopausal hot flashes.  After 14 sessions provided over four weeks of receiving point-specific moxibustion, participants reported a 60% decrease in the frequency and a 50% reduction of severity in their menopausal hot flashes. Researchers concluded that "moxibustion improves symptoms in terms of both frequency and severity.” (Sources: PubMed.com and Acupuncture Today).

Vets Recover from PTSD through an integrative AOM partnership program:  

Together with the non-profit organization Save a Vet, and the Austin Veterans and Family Council, the Academy of Oriental Medicine and Austin (AOMA) supported Vet TRIIP to provide an integrated and demonstration project for treating veterans with PTSD. Vet TRIIP is the only organization in the U.S. offering an integrative treatment that includes acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, reike, meditation, tai chi and qi gong to veterans from the Korean, Gulf, and Afghan Wars.  Program participants reported increased levels of relaxation, reduced dependency on medication and relief from insomnia. (Source: Acupuncture Today).

Oregon College of Oriental Medicine completes 4-year NIH Grant:
 

A research education program for students and faculty at OCOM was developed with support from a 4-year, $700,000 grant awarded in August 2005 by the NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The overarching goals of OCOM’s grant, Acupuncture Practitioner Research Education Enhancement (APREE), were to infuse research literacy and an evidence-informed perspective into the curriculum and culture of the college. The APREE team developed a set of nine Research Literate Practitioner competencies that guided many of the grant’s initiatives. Among APREE’s curriculum development accomplishments is a new 1st-year research course that teaches information access skills, frames research as a ‘way of knowing’ and provides grounding for existing 2nd and 3^rd year research courses.  Curricular initiatives also include faculty-designed, research-related learning activities for use in non-research courses, a Research Grand Rounds seminar series and a post clinic-shift reflection session.  Faculty development benefited from a 9-month, 1-day per month Research Scholars Program.  OCOM students themselves created a Research Club and an annual Student Research Conference.  At the end of the grant period, APREE initiatives were shared with other AOM colleges in a workshop at the October, 2009 meeting of the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. (Society for Acupuncture Research, Dec. 2009)

Expanded Continuing Education Page

We have greatly expanded our listings on the Continuing Education page.  While not exhaustive, you'll find tremendous educational opportunities--many of them free.  New webinar and distance learning opportunities are springing up daily, and it looks to us as though this will be the major new wave of education for many, as it saves time and money by not having to travel.  Some courses must be done in person--simply because of the experiential nature of the program.  Note the following:  A teleclass on Xi Cleft points by Thea Elijah in February; Heiner Fruehauf on Ancient Acupuncture Point Names at TAI/Sophia in February; Alex Tiberi on Aches and Pains, sponsored by MAS, in March (discount for ASDC members!); Lonny Jarrett teaches pulse diagnosis at TAI/Sophia in March; and Steven Cowan, MD comes to the area to teach pediatrics at TAI/Sophia in May.  Go to www.dcacupuncture.org to check out the offerings. You'll also find dozens of webinars and distance learning courses, tending to offer workshops on fertility, herbs, and business skills.

Wishing you all fortune and health,

Lisa Eaves, President
Alex Knox, Vice President
Andrea May, Student Intern for Membership & News