Program Overview

Our DAOM program is designed to fit the needs, interests, resources and schedules of TCM practitioners wanting to pursue a program of study advancing their knowledge and skill in integrative medicine and leading to a medical specialty.

Established by Master Clinicians

Master clinicians consisting of senior TCM practitioners and Biomedical experts from China and U.S. collaborated to create Yo San University’s DAOM program in integrative medicine. Their contributions are twofold: 1) They wrote the curriculum and continue to mold its evolution. And, 2) As instructors and mentors, they share their valuable experience and knowledge of TCM and Biomedicine.  

Modular Structure

Classes are offered once a month, over three day weekends, allowing candidates to earn a doctorate in 24 months while maintaining a private practice. Clinical training, at the University’s clinic, at externship clinics and in China, is flexible and will be arranged separately from the weekend intensives according to the needs and schedules of candidates. Specified modules are designed to meet California CEU requirements.

Core courses are designed to equip doctoral candidates with information, processes, research tools, and perspectives to enrich their specialization studies, to aid in professional development and to enhance professional relationships. These courses help bridge the gap between TCM and biomedicine further encouraging cross-referrals and inter-disciplinary medicine. As a subset of the Core curriculum, TCM courses train students to apply a specific text from the TCM Classics to a research model and in the advanced application of classic texts in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Another subset, Bioscience and Research Methods courses, prepare students to collaborate with Western medical professionals to treat patients and do research.

Selection of a specialty is included in the Admissions Application process and is finalized at the initial registration for classes.  Specialty start dates reflect demand. Specialty programs may share the same start dates but more commonly, they will start several months apart.

Specialty and Core courses are inter-dispersed to allow candidates to develop their specialization knowledge over the length of the program. Course work integrates TCM and Biomedical approaches to the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of dysfunctions, disorders and diseases within the specialty area. Candidates will apply increasingly complex approaches to their specialty study through the application of processes and perspectives include their core classes. Classes meet over 3-day weekend every month including 2.5 days of classroom activity and a half day of clinical training. 

We offer two Specializations:

• Healthy Aging & Longevity
• Reproductive Medicine

The program allows you to design the clinical experience that will be the most meaningful to you and best fits your needs and schedule. Clinical hours fall into two categories:  160 prescribed hours included in the Weekend residency allocated to Grand Rounds and Mentorship. And, at least 390 hours allocated to Mentorships and Preceptorships in a training plan you design.  

Mentorships include hours shadowing and/or collaborating with a TCM practitioner or RE/MD during treatment and/or counseling sessions.  You can chose from Yo San’s list of mentors and sites or from other appropriately credentialed practitioners outside the University.  Sites include the Yo San University Sunday Clinic, clinics and hospitals off-site and in China.

Preceptorships hours include teaching or supervising other TCM practitioners or trainees at a TCM school.