|
The DAOM program consists of three (3) components which the student must finish before the degree is granted. There is a didactic component consisting of General Doctoral Courses (270 hours) and Pain Management specialty courses (200 hours). The second component is Clinical Training consisting of 650 hours. The third and final component is a Research and Design dissertation which is the Capstone Project (120 hours). The total program consists of 1,240 hours of study and practice. Added to the Master’s level requirement of 3,070 hours of didactic and clinical study, the grand total is 4,310 hours.
The curriculum of the Doctoral program focuses on pain management, and addresses the long-term management of pain conditions by means of a case-based approach. Appropriate integration of AOM and Western biomedical approaches is stressed throughout the program.
Clinical Education:
Clinical residency is offered in quarterly modules over a 24-month period. Clinical residency training can be completed at the Samra University Clinic and the Samra Acupuncture Spinal Center. The Samra Acupuncture Spinal Center is a state-of-the-art, 10,000 square foot clinic equipped with advanced technology, including an on-site MRI and X-Ray. The Samra Acupuncture Spinal Center specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and spinal diseases.
The Capstone Project:
The Doctoral research coursework will prepare students to understand issues in research design and evaluation. Critical thinking skills are developed, along with an understanding of evidence-based criteria and outcomes in health care research and clinical practice. The capstone project required in the DAOM program will provide an opportunity to synthesize the theoretical and practical/clinical aspects of Doctoral education; to demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate research and potentially contribute to the research base of acupuncture and Oriental medicine; and to enhance competencies of professional communication.
Completion of the capstone research project is one of the culminating projects for the second year of the Doctoral program. Students begin initial work on their projects in the first year of study and continue throughout the program. Mentors are assigned to provide support and advice to students as they complete their projects. Students will arrange for peer committees to assist with review, feedback and editing of their projects. The capstone projects are significant original works, demonstrating critical thinking skills and creativity and contributing new ideas and perspectives on the topic of research. Students present summaries of their projects to an audience of peers and faculty members during the culminating module of the program. A wide range of topics of relevance to the acupuncture and Oriental medical field may be considered for projects, depending on student interests. Examples include publishable case studies, research studies, literature reviews, academic papers, public policy papers, or interpretive translational research.
|
