DOMAINS & COMPETENCIES

Doctor of Acupuncture Program Completion Track

Domains & Competencies for the Doctor of Acupuncture (D.Ac.) Program Completion Track

The goal of Won Institute’s Doctor of Acupuncture program completion track is to support the student in the achievement of the 28 Doctoral Level Competencies that have been determined by ACAOM and our professional community to support doctoral education in the field of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. The educational objectives are based on the 28 doctoral level competencies established by the Accreditation Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) as follows:

PATIENT CARE: ADVANCED DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES

The student must demonstrate the ability to:

A. Describe the relevant laws and regulations, including scope of practice, that may govern or limit conducting diagnostic studies.
B. Explain the clinical indications, risks, and benefits for diagnostic procedures.
C. Outline the principles and applications of equipment utilized for diagnostic imaging, laboratory, and other relevant diagnostic tools.
D. Assess written diagnostic reports, including the range of values that distinguish normal from abnormal findings, as relevant to patient care and communication with other health care providers.
E. Review findings from relevant diagnostic studies with objective and subjective findings from the assessment of the patient.
F. Communicate effectively with other health care providers regarding the results of diagnostic studies.

SYSTEMS-BASED MEDICINE: PATIENT CARE SYSTEMS 

The student must demonstrate the ability to:

A. Guide a patient into health care systems, e.g., homeless care, elder care, and family services.
B. Identify, describe, and assess possible solutions to healthcare disparities due to socioeconomic factors.
C. Describe the role of AOM professionals within current health care systems and the impact of that role on patient care.
D. Employ patient care in the context of relevant health care systems.
E. Differentiate between models of care and treatment modalities.

SYSTEMS-BASED MEDICINE: COLLABORATIVE CARE 

The student must demonstrate the ability to:

A. Recognize the impact that organizational culture and established systems have on patient care.
B. Interact appropriately and skillfully with other members of the health care team and within that health care system.
C. Describe the prevailing and emerging organization, structure and responsibilities of the health care team.
D. Discuss, in the appropriate context, the patient’s condition using vocabulary and concepts common to other members of the health care team.
E. Articulate the importance of supporting and participating in professional activities and organizations.
F. Compare and contrast common medical models.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: FORMULATING AND IMPLEMENTING PLANS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The student must demonstrate the ability to:

A. Identify and remediate areas of professional weakness.
B. Propose improvement methods in the analysis of practice for the purpose of developing a program of learning on a lifelong basis.
C. Identify sources of ongoing professional development, education, and research, both classical and contemporary.
D. Describe emerging technology systems for information access and management.
E. Assess professional development needs, and use available professional development resources to respond to changes in the local, state, regional, and national health care environment.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: INCORPORATING SCHOLARSHIP, RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE/EVIDENCE-INFORMED PRACTICE INTO PATIENT CARE

The student must demonstrate the ability to:

A. Describe evidence-based medicine and evidence-informed practice; and differentiate between the two.
B. Describe data collection methods to facilitate information dissemination in the field.
C. Assess research, including hypothesis, design, and methods, both qualitative and quantitative.
D. Describe the role and purposes of outcomes research.
E. Modify treatment plans and protocols using new information from current quantitative and qualitative research.
F. Use evidence-based medicine and/or evidence-informed practice to improve the patient care process.

Happy Spring Break March 25th - 31st

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