The Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine (ATOM) offers an accredited professional Master's degree program in Traditional Chinese Medicine/Oriental Medicine that meets both state and national standards for the practice of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine/Oriental Medicine in the United States. ATOM has designated a portion of its Master's-level curriculum to be applied toward Bachelor's Degree in Health Sciences in addition to the coursework that applies toward a Master's Degree in Oriental Medicine. Both degrees are conferred only at the completion of the entire four-academic year program

Mission of the Institute

The Mission of the Institute is to provide students with a program that prepares them to become qualified independent practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)/Oriental Medicine. ATOM students will be trained to the highest standards of professionalism and ethics for the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the United States.

Educational Objectives

In keeping with its mission, ATOM sets forth seven educational objectives.

1. To practice in a professional and ethical manner.
   
   
2. To exercise appropriate clinical judgment with regard to assessment, diagnosis and decisions relating to therapeutic modalities, prognosis, and referral.
   
   
3. To become proficient in the theory and practice of acupuncture and in the preparation and prescription of Chinese herbal therapy.
   
   
4. To become proficient in the theory and practice of nutrition and preventative care and to incorporate these principles and practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Oriental Medicine and to be prepared to counsel patients on elements of health.
   
   
5. To promote the delivery of health care in the United States fully recognizing the complementary functions of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Oriental Medicine and Contemporary Western Medicine.
   
   
6. To meet the requirements of the Florida Board of Acupuncture and the National Commission for Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) including the ability to pass the State and national acupuncture and herbal certification examinations.
   
   
7. To demonstrate the commitment to Traditional Oriental Medicine by participating in professional continuing education as a lifelong learning process.

These objectives are consistent with the Mission of the Institute. Its curriculum and resources are dedicated to these objectives. The Institute measures its accomplishment of these objectives through course and clinical valuations, comprehensive tests, tracking State and NCCAOM examination results,and feedback from alumni surveys. This information is in turn used to improve the program’s ability to meet its objectives.

Licensure

ATOM is a licensed college with the State Commission for Independent Education to confer the Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences and the Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine. For additional information, contact the State Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education, at 325 W. Gaines ST, #1414, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, toll free 1-888-224-6684.

Accreditation

The professional Master of Science in Oriental Medicine Program of the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine(ACAOM), which is the recognized accrediting agency for the approval of programs preparing acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners. ACAOM is located at Maryland Trade Center #3,7501 Greenway Center Drive, Ste. 760,. Greenbelt, MD 20770, 301/313-0855; fax 301/313-0912. According to 6.4B1-4.001 of Florida State Acupuncture Rules, applicants who apply for licensure on or after October 1, 2003 must have graduated from an ACAOM candidate or accredited 4-year master's level program or foreign equivalent in oriental medicine education. Accreditation assures our students that we have met the highest national standards for education and training.

National Certification (NCCAOM)

ATOM also prepares its students for national certification by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). ATOM’s accreditation with ACAOM simplifies the application process for our students.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Oriental Medicine Program

The program offered by ATOM is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)/Oriental Medicine and prepares students for a career in TCM and qualifies them to sit not only for the Florida licensure examination but also for the national certification examinations required by NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) in acupuncture and herbology. The skills acquired through this curriculum introduce students to the concepts and foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as help them to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine.

ATOM has designated a portion of its Master's level curriculum to be applied toward a Bachelor's Degree in Health Sciences in addition to the coursework that applies toward a Master's Degree in Oriental Medicine. Both degrees are only conferred at the completion of the entire four-academic-year program.

The courses in the curriculum are presented over a three-year span in a required course sequence as outlined. The minimum required time for the full program therefore, is three calendar years, and the maximum time, including any possible interruptions, that a student can be enrolled to fulfill the Institute's program, is eight calendar years.

ATOM reserves the right to change instructors, curriculum, and the order in which courses are given.

Train in China

Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the sister college of ATOM. There are long-term relationships between the two schools. Over the past years, ATOM has sent over several batches of students and alumnus to attend lectures and do internships in the hospitals attached to the University.

ATOM is the only TCM college in the US that has obtained full scholarships for its students and alumna granted by the Chinese Ministry of Education. Students and alumnus on such full scholarships have been sent to study at Beijing TCM University, Shanghai TCM University and this year, at Tianjin TCM University as well.

ATOM has also been organizing students to do short term studies and internships at Chinese TCM universities and college. Such self-sponsored students will not only attend special classes and do practical work in the regular hospitals, they will also study Chinese culture at the same time.

Library

The library at the Institute is open from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM from Monday to Thursday. There are more than 1600 books and professional journals, and 200 video and audio tapes in the library. The books,some in Chinese, some in English and some in both languages, deal with Traditional Oriental Medicine and Western Medicine. There is also a Media Room with 4 computers for student use. Students are encouraged to use the reference materials and plan study sessions in the library.

Seminars

ATOM students have the opportunity to attend any of the special seminars conducted annually by the Institute at a special student rate. Students benefit both from listening to professionals discussing acupuncture and Oriental medicine and from meeting licensed acupuncturists and other health-care practitioners whose work is related to Oriental medicine. Students are also encouraged to attend seminars conducted by other organizations. Attendance at other seminars does not fulfill ATOM educational requirements.

Placement Resources

ATOM cannot guarantee employment upon graduation from the program. Students are, however, supported by the faculty and administration in their search for employment, and encouraged to utilize the ATOM's bulletin boards for any opportunities posted there, to network with licensed acupuncturists who attend ATOM seminars, to read the want ads in professional journals, and to establish potential clientèle while performing their clinical training.

Location

Located at 100 E. Broward Blvd in central Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the Institute is close to bus routes and airports and is easily accessible by private transportation. It is approximately two miles east of Interstate 95. The academic campus is a primary space of 8,207 sq. ft., leased on the first floor with an extension of 2,609 on second floor of an air-conditioned office building. It is ATOM’s new location after several years hunting. It provides for effective functioning of the program and the accommodation all the staff and the student body. This new facility provides appropriate media and learning equipment for the educational program of the Institute. There is an ample well-lit city parking for the school.

ATOM Intern Clinic

The ATOM clinical-training center occupying the half size of the current facility has a clinic with 6 treatment rooms, an herbal dispensary, a students’ conference room, a Tai Chi-Qi Gong exercise room and a spacious reception area.

Admission Requirements

Candidates must be at least 18 years old and must be competent in speaking, reading, and writing English as well as understanding spoken English. Candidates must provide the Institute with all necessary admission documents including transcripts of at least two years of accredited baccalaureate-level education (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits). At least 19 of those 60 credits must be taken in the four General Education/Liberal Arts areas below, with at least 3 credits in each of the areas:

Humanities/Fine Arts

Social/Behavioral Sciences

English/Communications

Science/Mathematics

An introductory course in computer operation is also required for students lacking that knowledge.

If a candidate is a prospective transfer student from a qualified acupuncture institution, his/her relevant transcripts from that institution must be evaluated by the Academic Dean. Individuals with certification in a medical profession requiring at least the equivalent training of a registered nurse may use some prior credit to meet the admissions requirement. Credits must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. ATOM gives preference in admissions to students with credentials from regionally-accredited institutions.

ATOM candidates are to be mature-minded, self-motivated, academically capable, and prepared to undertake three years of an intensive, demanding educational experience. They must also be motivated by the genuine desire to heal. An interview with the ATOM Admissions Committee is also required prior to the final admissions determination.

Not all applicants can be accepted for admission. ATOM reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant who is not approved by the Admissions Committee.

Admissions Documents

Admissions documents are required to begin the application process at ATOM. It is understood that these documents can neither be returned to the candidate nor forwarded to any other institution or agency. The Admissions Committee makes all acceptance decisions. New matriculating classes may begin in May (SPRING Session) and/or September (FALL Session).

• A completed application form and $20 application fee.
  
  
• Photo Identification and a Social Security Card (Photocopied for file).
  
  
• Transcripts from 2-year or 4-year colleges accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education that document a passing grade in 60 or more baccalaureate-level semester credits (or 90 or more quarter credits). These transcripts must be sent directly from the institutions involved to ATOM. (See Admission Requirements for specific prerequisites.)
  
  
• A professional resume.
  
  
• One-page essay describing reasons for pursuing this program and plans for financing three years of study.
  
  
• Two letters of reference sent directly to the Institute from individuals outside the applicant's family.
  
  
• Copies of professional licenses, certificates, etc., if any. (Optional, but preferred)
  
  
• International students must have Visas permitting study in the U.S. for at least 3 calendar years.
  
  
• Foreign transcripts must be translated and evaluated by a credential-evaluation service approved by ATOM.

International Student Applications

ATOM has been formally approved by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service to offer a Bachelor's Degree in Health Science and Master's Degree in Oriental Medicine program to international students around the world. Our Institute is authorized to issue to our potential international students I-20 Forms. For more details, please contact ATOM's Office of International Students by emailing [email protected]

Financial Aid

ATOM offers Federal financial aid as well as some financial aid loan programs through private banking companies. Title IV Federal Student Financial Aid is available to qualified students.