I would recommend sitting in on classes at both. From what I understand AIMC is a lot more laid back whereas ACTCM is much more intense. AIMC has longer/more clinic hours. ACTCM offers clinic hours at their home clinic as well as outstide clinic hours (ie: at Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, etc.) I have friends who have transferred from ACTCM to AIMC and they are very happy there. I am just finishing my first year at ACTCM and it has almost killed me - but I know no different. I can honestly say that acupuncture school is 1,000 times harder than I ever imagined. I can also honestly say that if I had to do it over again I would never ever do it. BUT.... I LOVE the medicine, I am happy I have survived thus far and I am looking forward to practicing. At ACTCM we have a test a week in one class and every other week in other classes so it's nonstop. I thought I needed this structure to push myself and I've almost pushed myself right out of school - as I end up wanting to drop out every quarter and crying my eyes out every time finals come. It's intense and a lot of pressure. The quarter is 11 weeks so when we finally breathe there is are midterms and then finals. I started my 6th quarter this week and my first test is next week. It will be like this for the first 2 years I am told. The only thing I can say for sure is what I said above -- I would highly recommend going to both schools and sitting in on classes in each.

Hello all,

I am a 2nd trimester student at AIMC. So far, i am pretty happy with it. I don't know how ACTCM is, but my classes are pretty intense. Our curriculum is very tight--the first few trimesters are 20 units for full-time. The total hours are 3,398.

The atmosphere is very supportive (from faculty and other students). You can really feel the sense of community. All the instructors I have so far are really knowledgable and communicate well. They all have good sense of humor as well. The class sizes range from 4 to around 15 students. So you really get to know the teachers and have time to ask questions. So if you just walk into the classrooms/student lounge and see people laughing & joking around, it may SEEM laid-back. But it doesn't mean we are not learning well. Most of my classmates are really enthusiastic and proactive about learning. Not all care about getting straight A's though. Some classes you get tested every week. Other ones we have 4-5 exams in 14-15 weeks.

Other things I like so far:
-Good teachers (good practitioners who are also good teachers) Most of the younger, american instructors teaching the basic courses are exposed to different systems of acupuncture, so even though they teach TCM, they are not so dogmatic.

-Exposure to Japanese Acupuncture as well as other non-TCM styles. Officially, we only have 2 Japanese acupuncture therapy classes. But the main Acu. Channels/Points + Acu. Technique 1 teacher is Japanese who was trained in both TCM and Japanese style. So from early on, we get exposure to both Chinese & Japanese acupuncture. There are also a few Japanese clinic supervisors and many Japanese CEUs that you can take.

-A lot of weekend CEU seminars that we can take for way below regular price. (For example, we pay $95 for the $380-$480 seminars) on a wide variety of topics. I have to resist the temptation to overdose myself on it.

-Recent grads said that the school preps us well on the business side of things as well as taking the board exams.

-External clinic sites.

-Responsive Administration. They really listen to the students. Classes/instructors that don't work out don't stay in the program for long.

-Flexible and predictable schedule. All the classes are offered every trimester.

-Well-balanced curriculum that goes way beyond the CA minimum.

-Lots of clinic observation time (small group size) from the first trimester on.

Cons:
-Sometimes there are last minute minor changes to the curriculum and schedule. Occasionally, I hear complaints about the admin. not keeping students up-to-date in everything.

-It's a small school, so you don't have much choice of instructors for classes (I guess except in clinic)

-No electives. (I guess the program itself and taking classes in the continuing ed. program keeps me busy)

-Studying abroad program is being worked on but not here yet.

-Not a lot of off-campus activities or opportunities to work in hospital.


A lot of little things can be improved. But general, I am happy with it.

I think it is important to remember that there is just no way to learn everything that you need learn about Chinese medicine in 4 years anyway. There is no reason to limit your resources to only the school you go to. We can take outside classes/workshops in other schools too. And even though i am learning lots in my classes, I am doing a lot of my learning outside of the school program too. I know a ACTCM student who's taking the Japanese contact needling seminar at our school next week, and a few students from the Oakland school taking some classes here because the schedule happens to work well.

As long as you go to a school that gives you a good foundation of the core education, has good breadth and depth in the direction that you are interested in, and that you like the atmosphere and the people, it would make a good learning environment for YOU.

Good luck in your search.

Donna