Acupuncture Practice

More pics from level 12 acupuncture practice class. Thanks Noam, Tsering and others!

Hi Everyone,
Dr Liu at Traditional Chinese Medicine Australia, where I am doing clinic hours, http://www.tcmaustralia.com.au/ asked me to let everyone know about a trip he's organised to Chang Chun University in China, where he trained.

Individual training in a Chinese Hospital with professors with over 30 years experience at Chang Chun University
7 days $1900.00 includes
Includes accommodation, food and transport
Airfares not included: $1200.00 with China Air
Numbers limited to 7 students only, 3 places still available.
Contact Dr Liu at Traditional Chinese Medicine Australia on 9387 3319

Departing Sydney Thursday 9th July 10pm Air China
Arriving Beijing Friday 10th July 6a.m.
Depart Beijing Friday 10th July 9.30 am
Arrive Chang Chun Friday 10th July 12.00pm

Friday afternoon: Tour of Chang Chun University and hospital, meeting with professors, discussion with students regarding current training and ability.
Friday 6pm Welcome Dinner

Saturday 11th July
8 am – 11.30 am Gynaecology Dept
Focus: Infertility
Pulse and Tongue diagnosis
Herbal Formulas from 30 years of the Professors personal experience
2 pm – 5pm Detailed review of morning cases with professor

Sunday 12th July
8 am – 11.30am Gynaecology Dept
Focus: Infertility
Pulse and Tongue diagnosis
Herbal Formulas from 30 years of the Professors personal experience
2 pm – 5pm Detailed review of morning cases with professor

Monday 13th July
8 am – 11.30am Gynaecology Dept
Focus: Infertility
Pulse and Tongue diagnosis
Herbal Formulas from 30 years of the Professors personal experience
2 pm – 5pm Detailed review of morning cases with professor

Tuesday 14th July
8 am – 11.30am Gynaecology Dept
Focus: Infertility
Pulse and Tongue diagnosis
Herbal Formulas from 30 years of the Professors personal experience
2 pm – 5pm Detailed review of morning cases with professor

Wednesday 15th July
8 am – 11.30am Emergency acupuncture cases with professors
2 pm- 5pm Acupuncture Department
Chang Chun TCM Teaching Hospital

Thursday 16th July
9 am – 3.00am Tour of Chang Chun City
Tour of Last Emperors Palace
6.00 pm Presentation of Certificates
Dinner Banquet

Departing Chang Chun Friday 17th July 12pm Air China
Arriving Beijing Friday 17th July 3pm
Depart Beijing Friday 17th July 5.30 am
Arrive Sydney Saturday 18th July 6.30 am

Chinese Medicine: Why Blog it?!

Hi
Here's my video blog dissecting Chinese Medicine! I decided to film down at the park near Double Bay library because it's so beautiful. I hope you like it. Any suggestions, ideas or comments feel free!

This video is dedicatd to the memory of Carol Rogers

Fire Shower!

Haha! I've seen stuff in TCM and basically thought I'd seen it all, but...this is great!

Western Medicine Disease States

In this lecture we were taught how to recognise extreme medical conditions and the signs and symptoms that lead up to them so that we could refer confidently if we had to. This also included a power point presentation of patients with severe conditions. In this case a crusty big toe is shown.

Acupuncture Practice

Here's a bunch of us practicing acupuncture. Why put these up? Well I just think it is interesting to witness something that would never be usually seen. That is rows of people being guinea pigs (sorry willing participants...)

Cafe Study Autumn 2009 Semester

Busy Harris Street in the background
Coffee, course notes and flash cards
Thanks Kyla and Zena

After herbs tutorial sometimes we would get together and smash through learning the very tricky formulas together at a cafe on Harris Street. You would always presume that utter quiet was necessary for profound learning. However in some circumstances the daunting task ahead just needs extra momentum. Using the roaring busy energy of a main road we would shout information at each other and drink some coffee to keep our energy up until our brains got raw and the sensation that you wanted to take a break became one where you really had to take a break instead of the usual procrastination break. At the same time it was too much effort to idle chat above the traffic noise so we actually did some study.

Bladder Points Acupuncture Practice

Hi Blogs,

Here's an illustration of a long needle being used through some back Bladder points. Noam needled Michael with a 6 inch needle and the guide tube is held up next to the actual needle to demonstrate how much went in and along the channel.

What happens when you graduate? Melinda McDonald and her clinic

A rain soaked street in Newtown where Melinda's clinic is


Melinda stands outside the shared osteopath and acupuncture clinic

Inside the practice: fully automated tables, fresh towels and a smile
It's official: here's the card :)

Melinda graduated in the year ahead of me fairly recently and I thought it would be fun to say hello and have a look at where she is and how she is. I popped over to where she practices in Newtown on a rainy day and found her place in the hub of specialists and doctors surrounding the hospital on Missenden Road. She shares with an osteopath in a two room clinic. I wanted to go to get a reality check and see life on the other side of graduation from someone who attended the same course as me. Melinda's set up is very professional and convenient. Working with someone who is already established can be a big boost and when they are in a different field from you can get quick and close references (meaning patients) which is very helpful. Another point, she told me, was that some things are already supplied and you can go percentage costs instead of shared rent. This is great when you are starting out as costs are scaled to the number of patients you have. Meaning smaller costs as you start out. Melinda is having a go and it's going alright. So well done and I'll come and visit you next time for a check up :)

Microsystems and Advanced Acupuncture Treatment Techniques

Our mission: to use acupuncture on the abdomen

Everybody getting down to practice
Me getting friendly heat moxibustion service (check out the needles too) -thanks Laura

My turtle design on Laura's abdomenReviewing some of the pics I took over last 2009 Autumn Semester and found these interesting acupuncture ones. We did one module called Microsystems and we explored different acupuncture ideas and theories. One of my favourites is ear acupuncture but in these pics we explored abdominal acupuncture using the turtle holograph! The simple idea being that you relate a specific image to a part of the body and treat the rest of the body. Here we mapped an ancient symbol of a turtle, according to one practitioner's theory we analysed, and centred it on the belly button as this area can be said to have energetic importance due to the umbilical cord attachment. Then you treat a person's knee injury by using a needle on the knee area of the image. The theory is that one part of the body is related to the whole. In this case the image knee and the persons knee are reflected to each other. Not scientific. However from an energy point of view the belly button area and the surrounding areas are well known for treatment in Chinese medicine theory history. You can also relate to the meridians already passing through that area as well. It's a challenge and a different way of thinking. You have to suspend one type of scientific logic and then believe in a theory. This theory can be challenged at every aspect. But then I have seen people have abdominal acupuncture for weight loss with great results. Then it becomes anecdotal. Is it just as valid? It becomes very open to interpretation. Personally I find it very challenging and a lot of my energy goes into questioning. I don't want to believe, I want to know! In Chinese medicine there are truly so many unanswered questions. So much to learn and understand. It's an amazing challenge and even the analysis of Chinese Medicine, with scientific trials, may be the wrong way to go about it. How do I stay motivated? I had acupuncture and it helped me and it will help someone else too. Do I know and understand exactly what happens? No! I have theories , ideas and writings I can relate too though. Am i satisfied? Maybe time can only be the judge of that.

Hazy dazy study wayz

Here's a shot out of the window when I was studying. Well when I say studying I mean contemplating as I was, of course, looking out of the window. Maybe staring. They also have all the daily newspapers there. Its a real pleasure to leaf through instead of checking online... Anyway I digress as I was talking of studying. Well as you can see this is a beautiful image of a beautiful garden that are the grounds of Double Bay library. Quite beautiful...Here's a Kookaburra bird, relation to the kingfisher I think, that decided to sit on the bench a bit later.

Acupuncture and IVF

Here's an interesting title I saw in the library. Heading over there during the week so I'm intending to take it out. However I had some hefty fines recently and blew my borrowing limit. It totally sucks, so have to pay that off first. Apparently even if you are one dollar over they won't let you graduate until it's paid...

A Look at China Books in Sydney

China books is tucked away in a little arcade in China Town

Business in action: a sneak peak in the office More books!

This particular shelf carries most of our study titles: many hundreds of students have stood here and pondered
A classic acupuncture figure (good quality by the looks of it) and some animal models too which you don't usually see

One of the good things about UTS is the fact that China Town is just 2 minutes away. This is good for cheap snacks but we also have a dedicated Chinese Medicine text book shop: China Books http://www.chinabooks.com.au/ChinaBooks/index.cfm I popped in there late one week day with a friend and said hello to Georgina who runs the place. Georgina is a business woman and a hard working woman. She tirelessly sets up stalls on display at talks and events and tells you about what’s knew and what’s happening with talks and lectures by authors and so on. She’s got a lot of energy! She’s also very kind. Chinese medicine books generally are notoriously expensive and cost anything from $200 or more! So she may even give you a discount if you ask nicely… You can always try! Oh and they also sell patent and powdered herbs there , as well as needles and other Chinese medicine equipment. Thanks Georgina :)

Last exam for the semester

Last minute top ups
Exam cram
Took these shots from left to right through the exam door window

Alright! It's over!!Here's an update of the last exam. Took some before and after shots, and some pics through the window of the exam room door. If you look around on the desks there are coffees, box of tissues and a Bach Flower rescue remedy... Anyway it was a bit of pressure, as always, but it's all over now-phew.

Eaxm: Beginning, middle and end

Here's a sneak peak of 3 months work distilled into 7 pics. We had our Western medicine Clinical Features of Disease exam today and even though people are smiling-IT WASN'T FUN

15 minutes before the exam cram!
Not a good question!A special look inside the beginning of an exam!
Here's a table shot inside the chamber of doom. Pretty special doco shots
The lecturer likes to use this big clock for time keepingAt the end-what a freaking relief!

This exam involved learning heaps of disease signs and symptoms across the areas of the central nervous system, urogenital system, STDs, gynaecology, endocrine, haematological and rheumatological systems. On top of that we had to match disease states with signs and symptoms in 3 essay questions. So many people went to the toilet in this exam... Anyway it's another one done and I'm glad to say I don't have to sit through those lectures again, well hopefully!