New Acupuncture and Herb University Agreements

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and Georgia State University (GSU) have both signed educational agreements with China Medical University (CMU), Taiwan. The new California State University agreement allows CMU students to study at CSULB as exchange students. Students may study for one semester or up to an entire year. Prior agreements between California State University and China Medical University enable CSULB professors and students to enroll in CMU summer exchange programs for two years. The Georgia State University agreement with CMU establishes a joint bachelor’s degree program. CMU students receive two bachelors degrees by first attending CMU for two years followed by two years at GSU.

China Medical University, established in 1958, is comprised of 7 colleges: western medicine, Chinese medicine, pharmacy (including Chinese herbs), health care and nursing, life sciences, management, public health. CMU also conducts research and features interdisciplinary programs. This includes laboratories and teaching hospitals. CMU is part of an international collaboration network that includes University of California, San Francisco; Florida Atlantic University; University of Oregon; University of South Carolina; University of California, San Diego and more.

CMU provides undergraduate and graduate level work in Chinese Medicine for acupuncturists interested in continuing their acupuncture and herbal medicine education. CMU features a special Chinese Medicine herb garden, first established by Professor Wei-Song Gan in 1965. It contains over 500 medical plants and visitors are welcomed. CMU also features the Lifu Museum of Chinese Medicine.

Cooperative agreements between Chinese Medicine universities and other types of universities are part of an expanding trend. Several universities in the USA now feature Chinese Medicine within the on-campus curriculum. Some US hospitals now feature the inclusion of acupuncture and herbal medicine. The emerging integrative model also includes licensed acupuncturist services as part of some private healthcare insurances and HMOs.