Emperor's Doctoral Program will open new educational paths to ensure that the benefits of this ancient medicine can be effectively incorporated into modern medicine. It is a clinical doctorate that combines equal amounts of didactic and clinical work. The focus is on advanced applications of Oriental medicine into modern health care, and individualized clinical specialties with expert practitioners.

The purpose of both the Doctoral Program and the institute as a whole is to advance the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine by developing collaborative relationships across medical disciplines. The schedule of monthly intensives taught by distinguished practitioners and scientists in this field will provide a central focus for in-depth discussions of currently relevant issues in the understanding and improvement of health care.

Advanced understanding of the theoretical and philosophical foundations of Oriental medicine will be addressed in the course on Chinese Classics, but also within each general and specialty course. Each instructor will endeavor to integrate unique perspectives derived from ancient Chinese writings with a deeper understanding of their relevance to contemporary approaches to health care. The scheduled visit to China will allow direct experience of the manner in which ancient Oriental philosophies are implemented in modern Chinese hospitals.

The Doctoral Program includes an academic and clinic specialization in the area of Orthopedics and Pain Management. There are 10 specialty courses in the program designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the diagnostic and treatment issues affecting those with acute and chronic pain, and the modalities that are most effective in providing relief of these conditions.

Advanced clinical skills will be developed through the Clinical Fellowship at Daniel Freeman Hospital, during which doctoral candidates will complete up to 400 hours of direct patient care through the Rehabilitation and Pain Management Department of the hospital. This experience will also allow candidates to engage with other health care professionals through a systems-based approach to medicine. Evaluation and integration of the experience gained in the Clinical Fellowship will take place during Clinical Case Review wherein candidates, alongside senior faculty, will present, analyze and discuss cases pertinent to the specialty topics covered in the doctoral program intensives.

Candidates who wish to work with a mentor who has demonstrated expertise in the area of Orthopedics and Pain Management in Oriental medicine, may complete up to 100 hours of clinical training through an optional Clinical Mentorship.

Critical scholarly thinking and the conduct of clinical research in the field of Traditional Oriental Medicine and evidence-based medicine will be developed in the research courses and through the completion of a Research Project.

Demonstration of a commitment to life-long learning of advances in Traditional Oriental Medicine and its integration with contemporary biomedicine will be demonstrated in term papers, in class discussions for all of the courses, and in the written evaluations contained within each student's doctoral file. Students should demonstrate an ongoing interest in the further reading of books, journals, and internet sources and by attending professional seminars.

Leadership in the profession of acupuncture and Oriental medicine will be demonstrated through feedback from other health care professionals regarding the student's participation in clinical case review, academic conferences, and community projects that the student becomes involved in. Doctoral students will also be asked to submit proposed lesson plans for potential courses that they could teach in the future.

Download Documents

  Doctoral Program Catalog      Doctoral Program Application

(Adobe Acrobat pdf format)