Due to the recent announcement that CIIS’ Board of Trustees has made the difficult decision to close ACTCM, we regret that we will no longer be accepting new students.
To honor the commitment and investment of current students, faculty, and staff, ACTCM will pursue options for a teach-out, supporting currently enrolled students in completing their degree within a designated timeframe. Each student will be individually advised of their best path forward.
ACTCM has been at the forefront of acupuncture and Chinese medical education since its inception in 1980, offering first professional and postgraduate degrees in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Through their course of study, students have studied with esteemed faculty and practiced hands-on care in our innovative acupuncture clinic and on-site herb garden. Our programs have provided a truly exceptional professional education in the acupuncture and Chinese medicine field.
While the upcoming closure of ACTCM deeply saddens our community, we are confident that the Medicine and amazing work of faculty, students, and alumni will continue to benefit our local and global community.
The Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) program is intended for students first entering the acupuncture field. Building on our Masters of Science and Traditional Chinese Medicine (MSTCM) curriculum, our DACM degree combines acupuncture therapeutics, herbal medicine, biomedicine, and clinical training with an added focus on integrative and collaborative health care, research literacy, and evidence-informed practices.
Our world-class faculty provide an immersive educational experience that integrates teachings of Chinese medicine with Western medical practices. Our alumni are leaders in the field, and students graduate with a firm understanding of the use of acupuncture and Chinese herbs in Western clinics and hospitals. Students also learn to incorporate contemporary research literature into their practices to respond to shifts in healing modalities. Our DACM program is immersive and transformative and offers students the opportunity to become masters in their field. DACM graduates receive a doctorate in Chinese Medicine (and can be called "doctor").
Experiential Learning
Our faculty bring a wealth of practical experience to their classrooms and provide an education that is not just academic but experiential. Students are mentored in hands-on learning opportunities in our community clinics, starting in the first year of study. ACTCM's San Francisco location enables students to work with a diversity of patients in clinics that are community-oriented.
Modern Healing: Acupuncture at ACTCM
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The California Institute of Integral Studies is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges - Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501 (510-748-9001). The Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine (MSTCM) and Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) programs of ACTCM at CIIS are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), 8941 Aztec Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 (952-212-2434), which is the recognized accrediting agency for programs preparing acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners. The ACTCM at CIIS Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) program was granted initial accreditation by ACAOM in November 2018, effective through February 2025. Accreditation status and notes may be viewed here.
Life at ACTCM
The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine has 200 students and a small, intimate campus. Students enjoy a low faculty to student ratio, small classes, and close connections with each other and alumni.
ACTCM's campus is located in two sites on San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood. Potrero Hill is close to downtown and a picturesque part of the city that is easy to commute to. San Francisco is a dynamic city that is a cultural, culinary, and financial center with a diverse population. Students enjoy great concerts, nightlife, beaches, nearby forests, and great weather!
The city's diversity is also reflected in the populations of patients at our clinics, giving students a broad clinical experience. Our onsite teaching clinic is open to the public. Student practitioners partner with faculty advisers and receive hands-on experience.
Many of our students tell us that they feel very at home at ACTCM, and our alumni often have bonds with each other that last long past graduation.
If you would like to visit us to see if ACTCM is right for you, please call our admissions department at 415-401-0464.
