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AAMA
Newsletter
Serving the American Academy of Medical
Acupuncture
February 2002
REFLECTING ON ACADEMY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
By Gene Hong,
MD, DABMA
CHAIR, AAMA MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Founded in 1987, AAMA is the only medical specialty society for physicians
who have received rigorous training in multiple systems of acupuncture.
It is the mission of the Academy to support, advance and protect the practice
of acupuncture by physicians. Since its inception, membership has grown
steadily to 2,000 physicians from varied medical backgrounds.
As a member, you have been a part of the process of bringing into existence
a new medical specialty, medical acupuncture. Together, we should recognize
and be proud of our accomplishments that we have achieved in such a short
time:
- The Academy has established
the ABMA. Board Certification gives us the opportunity to give physicians
the process by which to document and demonstrate their proficiency in
medical acupuncture. This also moves us forward in the effort to establish
Medical Acupuncture as a medical specialty.
- Acupuncture Education.
The Academy is now a CME granting body. Physician acupuncturists of
national and international reputation present the annual symposium,
other lectures, and workshops. Periodic workshops and review courses
are held throughout the year offering in-depth training on advanced
topics or refresher courses on basic areas of practice. Programs have
been developed so that medical schools can effectively expose students
to the practice of medical acupuncture.
- The Academy has established
liaison activities with other medical groups such as the AMA, Medical
specialty societies, and state medical boards. The Medical Acupuncture
Advisory Committee (MAAC), through its various task forces and subcommittees,
monitors and responds to legislative, regulatory, and insurance issues
that may impact the practice of medical acupuncture.
- Academy has been elected
to membership in the International Council for Medical Acupuncture and
Related Therapies (ICMART), a group of over 40 physician acupuncture
societies from Europe, Asia, Oceania, and North and South America. We
have also actively participated and helped shape policy at the North
American Acupuncture Forum (formerly NAFTA Acupuncture Forum), which
seeks to provide constructive dialogue and understanding between the
various physician and non-physician practitioners in North America.
- The Academy's journal, Medical
Acupuncture, has been enlarged, improved, and is now published 3 times
per year. Articles are also now available on-line through the Academy
web page. Future development will include CME credits that will be available
through the Journal. We are also applying for listing in the Index Medicus.
- The Academy's website (www.medicalacupuncture.org)
has been redesigned to give the public and Academy members better access
to information regarding medical acupuncture.
- A national physician referral
service is administered by the Academy and currently processes an average
of 1,000 patient requests for referrals per month through the (800)
number, and an even greater number of patients access this service through
the website.
- The Academy has worked closely
with the Medical Acupuncture Research Foundation (MARF) to encourage
and support acupuncture research. MARF has developed Acubriefs.com to
review and publish results of acupuncture research that may not otherwise
be available to the practicing physician.
- AAMA has a comprehensive
library of audio, video and CDs of past presentations, covering many
topics in medical acupuncture. Patient information brochures and general
patient education material are available for physician members. These
include: the "Doctor, What's This Acupuncture All About?"
brochure, the "Best of Both Worlds" educational video, the
CD-ROM/slide set for acupuncture education and the CraigPENS video course.
- Books and references available from the Academy at a 15% discount for members. Discount purchasing program for supplies and equipment from a variety of suppliers of acupuncture-related products.
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COURSES TRAIN IN MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE
Physicians, please be aware that every three years after you're approved as a practice member (associate or full), you need to earn 50 CME/CEU credit hours or more of acupuncture-related training to maintain your AAMA practice membership status.
- Course Director Anita Cignolini, MD, along with faculty Drs. Joan B. Martin, Louisa M. Silva and Thomas S. Burgoon, have scheduled four two-session courses of Chinese Acupuncture for Physicians: Scientific Basis and Practice, all in Santa Barbara, CA. Each course offers up to 258 hours of Category 1 CME. Contact 323/442-1313, cigno.courses@verizon.net.
- Five Element Acupuncture for Physicians will be offered Oct. 20-25, 2002 in San Diego, CA by Drs. Charles Moss and Ron Puhky, offering 50 hours CEU. Contact 858/457-1314, fetraining@aol.com.
- Comprehensive Acupuncture Training Course: Eighth North American Symposium on Acupuncture, up to 340 Category 1 CME hours by St. Luke's Hospital, May 20-28, Oct. 14-21 and Aug. 17-24, 2002, San Francisco. Visit: www.acupuncturecourse.org, 415/731-1330.
HELMS MEDICAL
INSTITUTE
(www.HMIeducation.com, 510/649-8488)
- Next Basic Program: Introductory
weekend, June 6-9, 2002, Santa Monica, CA, Clinical units: Nov. 1-10,
2002, Boca Raton, FL; Dec. 6-15, 2002, Tempe, Arizona
- HMI Intermediate Programs:
Intermediate Level One, May 18-19, 2002, Tempe; Intermediate Level Two
April 6-7, 2002, Boca Raton
oHMI Advanced Programs: Drs. Bill Craig and Joe Helms, Anatomic and Energetic Acupuncture Offered twice at April 13-14, 2002, Boca Raton and May 25-26, 2002, Tempe
INTEGRATED MEDICINE
SEMINARS
(www.IntegratedMedicineSeminars.com,
972/489-4286)
- Auricular Therapy Seminar
May 25-26, 2002, Chicago, IL and Sept. 21-22, 2002, Miami, FL by Bryan
L. Frank, MD, DABMA
- Workshops on May 25 and
Oct. 26, 2002 in Rockville, MD will provide practice and supervision
of VAS training.
- Auricular Medicine Seminar Nov. 9-10, 2002, San Francisco, CA by Drs. Nader E. Soliman and Bryan L. Frank
MC MASTER UNIVERSITY
(www.acupuncturecourses.com)
- May - June 2002 (Spring
Session) - (Units 1 to 5), Contempoary Medical Acupuncture For Health
Professionals, Instructors Drs. Angelica Fargas-Babjak and Alejandro
Elorriaga Claraco, 300 Hours CME, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada
- June 21-22-23, Contemporary Medical Acupuncture for Sports Injuries, Instructors Drs. Angelica Fargas-Babjak, Alejandro Elorriaga Claraco and Mark Scappaticci, 300 Hours CME, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Please send details on medical acupuncture courses to bdortberg@aol.com, fax 323/937-0959.
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DELAWARE VALLEY
The Pennsylvania Chapter held its quarterly meeting on Jan. 8, when plans
were discussed to further continuing education for members and to recruit
statewide membership. The education hour of the meeting featured a video
of Dr. Alejandro Elorriaga's presentation on "Treatment of Acute
Sports Medicine Injuries" at last year's AAMA Symposium.
Chapter members are invited to participate in an ongoing study group on
traditional Chinese acupuncture on the second Saturday of each month for
about 1-2 hours. Videotaped presentations of lecturers on Chinese acupuncture
such as Drs.Nyugen Van Nghi, Anita Cignolini, Tran Viet Dzong and others
will be the source of study. Contact Chapter President Tom Burgoon, MD
(610/431-0850, tburgoon@aol.com).
NEW JERSEY
The NJ Chapter will meet 7-9:30 pm Tuesday, April 16 at the Ramada Inn
in East Brunswick for its Annual Meeting and election of officers. Speakers
include John Kohler, MD, and Barbara Bodnar on insurance company collections.
With 56 members, this Chapter is currently enhancing its website and reviewing
the state's political atmosphere on medical acupuncture. Members are communicating
with the Board of Medical Examiners and NJ Medical Society to ensure that
their concerns are represented. To join, contact President Robert Dennis,
MD (732/775-5189).
NEW YORK
This NY Chapter held its first executive committee meeting in January
and is gaining momentum. Its website is now online at: www.AAMA-NYstate.com.
Prospective members can file an online application for membership or download
and print an application for Chapter membership, as well as one to join
AAMA. Many applications were received in just the first week. Chapter
dues have been set at $50 annually. E-mail notices were sent to every
AAMA member in NY state in the Academy directory. The Chapter is hoping
that physicians who are not AAMA members will join in order to get involved
with this Chapter.
A workshop on Neuroanatomic Acupuncture with Joseph Wong, MD, will be
held in April. Bruce Gilbert, MD, PhD, was instrumental in obtaining category
1 CME credits for the event through the North Shore-Long Island Jewish
Medical Center. The Chapter will have a booth at the event to publicize
the Chapter and to enroll new members.
First-year goals are to build Chapter membership, to solicit individuals
to take on leadership roles in the organization, and to promote continuing
education events.
Chapter leaders are looking forward to meeting all potential members at
AAMA's 14th Annual Symposium in April.
Anyone interested in joining this Chapter can visit: www.AAMA-NYstate.com,
or contact President Joseph Sciammarella, MD, at: drjoe@mdacupuncture.net,
516/594-1057, or Secretary/Treasurer Bruce Gilbert, MD at: bruce.gilbert@verizon.net,
516/487-2700.
OREGON
The Annual Educational Meeting of the Oregon Chapter will be on Saturday,
March 2 from 9 am to noon at Providence Hospital in Portland, OR. Dr.
Agatha Colbert will give a lecture and lead a workshop on "The Scientific
Basis of Magnetic Applications in Acupuncture Treatment." Dr. Colbert
recently relocated to Portland and is now a member of the Oregon Chapter.
The meeting has been planned and organized through the efforts of the
Educational Committee, which consists of Drs. Peter Hanfileti and Joseph
Sullivan.
The NCCAM, a branch of the NIH charged with funding alternative medicine
research, will have its Annual Director's Meeting in Portland on March
18 and 19. The March 18 session will be by invitation. Interested individuals
can contact Gene Hong, MD, DABMA gghong@aol.com,
503/408-0865). The March 19 session will be open to the public.
Portland is considered one of the most active cities for acupuncture research.
Two NCCAM grants have been awarded to Portland area groups. Oregon Health
and Science University is the center that studies the effects of CAM on
neurological disease. Kaiser is the center that studies the effects of
CAM on head and neck diseases. Dr. Hong is on the advisory board of both
centers and notes that there is a need for clinicians interested in research.
Grants are available for those willing to write proposals. Contact him
for details.
Ed Neal, MD, has returned after extensive acupuncture clinical work in
China. Robert Gross, MD, DABMA, continues his work on ABMA.
TEXAS
This Chapter is up and running and will have a statewide meeting soon,
reports President Rey Ximenes, MD. He is planning a seminar with Drs.
Bryan Frank and Nader Soliman. Membership is expected to grow after a
letter is sent to all members in Texas.
AAMA encourages Chapters to send in their news (bdortberg@aol.com).
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