Mission, Vision, & History


MISSION

American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine is a post baccalaureate academic institution dedicated to educating and conferring degrees upon graduating individuals having equipped them for successful careers as healthcare practitioners based on the theories, principles, and clinical applications of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
We embrace the tenets of Western science and promote the integration of TCM into mainstream biomedicine. Our clinics provide the community with affordable healthcare services while developing student skills and broadening the body of TCM research.
We are committed to excellence in teaching, research, patient care, and community service based on the finest skills, latest technologies, and the highest ethical standards of healthcare delivery.

VISION

The vision of American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine is to strengthen the role of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine in providing complementary health care delivery in the United States. We believe that the collaboration of Oriental and Western medicines will yield a great number of advances and breakthroughs in the treatment of illness, resulting in better health care for all.

Consequently, we are dedicated to offering our students a solid education in Traditional Chinese Medicine while at the same time providing knowledge in Western medicine to facilitate their communication with patients and physicians.

History

August  – The institution receives recognition by the China Ministry of Education.

November – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer Doctor of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine degree program.

December 2017 – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges reaccredits ACAOM.

December – ACAOM reaches agreement to collaborate with Brazilian College of Chinese Medicine.

January – ACAOM signs a sister school agreement with Henan University of Chinese Medicine.

September – ACAOM reaches agreement with Da-Yeh University, Taiwan.

March – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer a Master of Integrative Healthcare Leadership degree program.

June – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer a Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program.

November – ACAOM hosts of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies conference.

November – ACAOM signs a sister school agreement with China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences University.

December – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer a Master of Integrative Wellness Management degree program.

June – ACAOM receives regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

October -Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and ACAOM sign sister school agreement.

February – ACAOM reaches agreement with Luzhou Medical University.

April – Taipei Medical University and ACAOM sign sister school agreement.

January – ACAOM and The Methodist Hospital begin clinical cooperation to offer acupuncture.

January – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board grants a Certificate of Authority to ACAOM to award a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree.

September – ACAOM and Fudan University in Shanghai reach agreement to establish an externship program.

March – ACAOM reaches agreement with Zhejiang Provincial Hospital, China, to offer optional training in China.

June – ACAOM reaches agreement with Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Outpatient Clinic to offer acupuncture treatments.

August – ACAOM Pain Program is accredited by the American Academy of Pain Management.

November – ACAOM reaches agreement with Tianjin University of TCM, China, to provide training abroad.

February – ACAOM receives full approval from the California Acupuncture Board.

January – ACAOM reaches agreement with Dalian Hospital in China to provide externship hospital training to ACAOM students.

August – ACAOM program is approved by the New Mexico Board of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

August – ACAOM reaches agreement with University of Houston Clear Lake Health Center to offer acupuncture in their clinic.

December – ACAOM reaches agreement with Memorial Hermann/Houston Baptist University Wellness Center to offer acupuncture treatments.

August – ACAOM confers its first class with Master’s Degree in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

December – ACAOM confers its first class with Master of Science in Oriental Medicine.

May – The institution is granted full accreditation by NACSCAOM.

June – The Academy changes its name to American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

July – The institution graduates its first class.

November – The institution receives candidacy status from National Accreditation Commission for Schools and Colleges of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NACSCAOM), now named Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the national agency that regulates Oriental Medicine institutions.

August – The first class of students enrolled.

January – The college was founded by Shen Ping Liang, L.Ac. as American Academy of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine.

1991

January – The college was founded by Shen Ping Liang, L.Ac. as American Academy of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine.

1992

August – The first class of students enrolled.

1993

November – The institution receives candidacy status from National Accreditation Commission for Schools and Colleges of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NACSCAOM), now named Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the national agency that regulates Oriental Medicine institutions.

1995

July – The institution graduates its first class.

1996

May – The institution is granted full accreditation by NACSCAOM.

June – The Academy changes its name to American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

1997

August – ACAOM confers its first class with Master’s Degree in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

December – ACAOM confers its first class with Master of Science in Oriental Medicine.

2000

January – ACAOM reaches agreement with Dalian Hospital in China to provide externship hospital training to ACAOM students.

August – ACAOM program is approved by the New Mexico Board of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.

August – ACAOM reaches agreement with University of Houston Clear Lake Health Center to offer acupuncture in their clinic.

December – ACAOM reaches agreement with Memorial Hermann/Houston Baptist University Wellness Center to offer acupuncture treatments.

2001

February – ACAOM receives full approval from the California Acupuncture Board.

2002

March – ACAOM reaches agreement with Zhejiang Provincial Hospital, China, to offer optional training in China.

June – ACAOM reaches agreement with Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Outpatient Clinic to offer acupuncture treatments.

August – ACAOM Pain Program is accredited by the American Academy of Pain Management.

November – ACAOM reaches agreement with Tianjin University of TCM, China, to provide training abroad.

2004

September – ACAOM and Fudan University in Shanghai reach agreement to establish an externship program.

2005

January – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board grants a Certificate of Authority to ACAOM to award a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree.

2006

January – ACAOM and The Methodist Hospital begin clinical cooperation to offer acupuncture.

2009

April – Taipei Medical University and ACAOM sign sister school agreement.

2011

February – ACAOM reaches agreement with Luzhou Medical University.

2012

June – ACAOM receives regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

October -Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and ACAOM sign sister school agreement.

2013

December – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer a Master of Integrative Wellness Management degree program.

2014

March – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer a Master of Integrative Healthcare Leadership degree program.

June – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer a Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program.

November – ACAOM hosts of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies conference.

November – ACAOM signs a sister school agreement with China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences University.

2015

January – ACAOM signs a sister school agreement with Henan University of Chinese Medicine.

September – ACAOM reaches agreement with Da-Yeh University, Taiwan.

2016

December – ACAOM reaches agreement to collaborate with Brazilian College of Chinese Medicine.

2017

November – ACAOM approved by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer Doctor of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine degree program.

December 2017 – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges reaccredits ACAOM.

2019

August  – The institution receives recognition by the China Ministry of Education.