Auckland Graduation September 2011
NZCCM Auckland Graduation 2011 Photo
Pieter Watson's speech for Graduation 28-09-2011
Congratulations to you for choosing to study Chinese Medicine, and for choosing to study at this College. Today is an important transition in your lives – in my mind I have a picture of the NASA space shuttle, as if today’s graduation is the launching pad for your career as Chinese Medicine practitioners.
I want to address two main themes today: Community with this your College and faith in your future. Then I’ll say a little about Regulation of Chinese Medicine under the HPCA ie the Health Practitioners' Competence Assurance Act 2003.
I am a business advisor to NZCCM, and I met Stephen before he opened the College. We first met about 12 years ago to discuss another business but after a while he asked me, with a glimmer in his eye, if I could help him open an acupuncture college. I have worked here as manager for 5 years since then, but today I am still a business advisor, and NZCCM is unique. It is still the only Chinese med school teaching Chinese Medicine from the mother country, based on the Chinese Medicine programme taught at universities across China.
Actually one of NZ’s acupuncture associations asked Stephen to asked to develop a college because they felt that acupuncture was not properly understood or taught in New Zealand at that stage. I wrote the original Quality Assurance documents and helped Stephen and Jessica start the college.
NZCCM has very good relationships with NZ ministry of education including NZQA, Tertiary Education Commission, and all government departments that are responsible for quality in tertiary sector. The reason is that NZCCM helps achieve NZ government goals include vibrant economy through advanced skills, healthy communities and families, and a dynamic sense of community and cultural identity through sharing our skills and experiences.
Because NZCCM’s programme is based on the Chinese University programme, it is the best Chinese Medicine and acupuncture training in NZ. NZCCM also have strong ongoing relationships with many international Universities, and this collaboration offers our graduates unique opportunities for further study. Other colleges in New Zealand follow where NZCCM leads, but they are still using a Western interpretation of Chinese Medicine.
You can also have faith in your skills as a practitioner, now and in the future. And although you have finished your study for now you will continue to learn – partly from your patients. Kiwis want natural medicine that is safe and effective, and Chinese Medicine is both of those things. We are all proud of you, our graduates, and will speak highly of you and expect great things of your career in acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. You can be confident when you tell people you graduated from NZCCM, and I hope you will continue to develop the good name of this organisation.
But I also want to acknowledge that study is hard. Last year I finished a post-graduate Diploma in Education after studying part-time while working fulltime. Actually Stephen and I both started the same time, and we both have post-graduate qualifications in Education from Massey. And Massey University is very strict about assessment dates, and extensions, and plagiarism, and APA referring. But while part-time study is hard, fulltime study is also very hard, and I admire you for getting to this great final day.
We want to know what is happening for you, so please keep us informed of your study and work activities; eg ongoing study at University of Western Sydney or one of the many other universities we have relationships with.
We hope that you will be successful in your life and work. There are many opportunities for successful work and business models, for example you might leave here and open a clinic by yourself, like most graduates have, but you might also start hiring Chinese Medicine practitioners and concentrate on business development yourself. At the moment you cannot practice Chinese Medicine in a hospital or across the public health system in NZ, but that will probably change once statutory regulation of Chinese Medicine has been finalised.
Like some of you graduating today I am also an immigrant, and although English is my first language, I have a very strong appreciation of this land and strong sense of the possibilities we face here. And I know that New Zealanders are ready for Chinese Medicine: they embrace it because it is safe and effective natural medicine. So I believe your challenge now is to become as successful as you dream, using your healing hands, and the healing spirit that runs through you.
Regulation of Chinese Medicine under the HPCA is going to be very important, when it finally happens here, but it has been announced across Australia for 2012. One of the main reasons Regulation is going ahead here is that there is international recognition of Chinese Medicine’s potential in not only contributing to better health generally, but also saving governments around the world many millions of dollars in the process. One small part of this is the consistently high number of people who have agreed to an appointment with a Western Medical practitioner but don’t arrive for it. For most that is because they don’t feel a strong affinity with the diagnosis or treatment. So it is possible that you will become part of bringing Chinese Medicine into NZ hospitals and clinics where it is currently not possible.
Until now being ACC-accredited was a signal of quality to patients, but soon you will have to be registered with the Chinese Medicine Board that will be set up for practitioners who have the qualifications and ability to practise Chinese Medicine. Possibly there will be a small number of practitioners who can’t continue, and so the community overall will see your profession is more reliable. But probably the main advantage of being a regulated health profession will be that other medical practitioners will come to have more respect for your knowledge and ability. My wife is a psychotherapist, and is clear that her relationships with other health professionals have gradually improved since psychotherapy was regulated in 2009.
In conclusion I want to encourage you to see that you have a very bright future. I encourage you to believe that now is a very good time to have graduated. Western people and governments around the world see Chinese Medicine as a safe and effective natural medicine. There will be many opportunities for you to heal patients, to continue learning, and to make possible what you dream of.
Pieter Watson's
Senior Liason Advisor
Christchurch Graduation September 2011
NZCCM Christchurch Graduation 2011 Photo
The Christchurch Branch is proud to have graduated it’s first group of Bachelors graduates on the 30th September 2011.
The graduation ceremony was attended by family and friends and it was a very happy occasion.
The graduates are all busy working in their clinics and they continued to study at the College despite the recent earthquakes and hardships here in Christchurch. This shows their commitment and passion for the profession of Chinese Medicine. The College would like to wish them every success for both themselves and their families and of course for their professional practice.
Words from Graduates
Vicky Lin October 2006 updates
At the end of this year I will finish my three years’ study at NZCCM. I have enjoyed my time in school with my friends, my teachers, and my patients. I learn a lot from them. Acupuncture is very good for painful symptoms, also very helpful for many internal conditions. Thanks to NZCCM for showing me a door to Traditional Chinese Medicine . I intend to keep studying and gain more experience to become an excellent acupuncturist.
Chang woo Lee
I’m very much enjoying studying with NZCCM. During study I was impressed that TCM is a holistic treatment considering the whole body’s relationship. Three years of studying at NZCCM gave me chances of learning TCM knowledge, practicing acupuncture treatment, and making good friends from different countries. I’m happy to have my own clinic to treat and serve people in the near future.
Wan Seop Kim
I will graduate at the end of this year with a Diploma of Acupuncture. In my three years study at NZCCM, I learned lots of knowledge and skill about TCM. During my clinic practice, I found acupuncture can treat lots of problems, especially acute pain and chronic pain syndromes. I also found acupuncture very effective on various gynecological problems, including dysmenorrhoea.
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Georgia Bryant
What were you doing before you started studying Chinese Medicine?
I was a tutor at a design and arts school and mother of a young child
When did you graduate from the College?
February 2002
What lifestyle changes have you made since leaving College?
Owning my own business has been a big lifestyle change. The patients that came to see me at the student clinic followed me and they told their friends. The week after College I thought I’d have a rest and 12 people rang saying “where’s your clinic?” I started in our study at home and then moved into what was our bedroom. At that time it was good because I would easily step aside from being a mum to working in the clinic. Getting the balance right takes time and practice. Eventually the clinic grew to take over the house so we (my partner and i) decided to get a separate house to run the practice from. We are about to have our official opening in June 2006.
How did the training prepare you for independent practice?
It prepared me both as a healer and as an acupuncturist. It has enabled me to combine intuitive knowing with a system of medicine with a clear set of guiding principles for diagnosis and treatment.
How do now feel about acupuncture as a medical system?
Acupuncture has such a broad scope of practice which touches into every level. For everybody that comes in there’s always something familiar and yet there’s always something new. I’m now into my fifth year of practice and I love being in clinic and I can look forward to another 20 – 30 years of doing this as long as I keep my life in balance.
Why would you recommend the College as a place to study?
It has a good solid foundation education and I can see through working with practitioners trained in China and elsewhere that the basic teachings are the same. The College supports you to learn to the best of your abilities and it encourages your personal growth through professional development studies.
What would be your top tip for intending students?
Really live and learn the basics because it always comes back to that.
Suan Tiew (John) Foo
I have pursued philosophy with great interest for many years. My interest is in eliciting wisdom, enlightenment for self in this mystery of the universe. Oriental Chinese medicine naturally interested me; I like to master and acquire its understanding, and how this ancient Chinese medicine works its wisdom, after I have satisfactorily acquired the treasure and wisdom from my philosophical pursuit. I have always found Chinese Medicine and its wisdom and philosophy fascinating and a mystery since childhood.
There were not many opportunities available to learn Chinese medicine at the time. By divine mercy I came upon it at the Health Expo 2000 at the Arts Centre, there was the Christchurch College of Holistic Healing display, I was very interested and excited about the opportunity to learn this ancient medicine in Christchurch, I thus enrolled in 2001.
I found the school environment friendly and supportive to the learning. The syllabus and subjects are unit standards which are national standard. In the four years course, I studied wide range of subjects and two years of practical student clinic experience. I have applied myself to acquire this ancient healing art, its wisdom and philosophy which give me new insight and depth into relationships of our environment, lifestyle, our thoughts, feelings, deed and action, Our health is profoundly related to all these things.
I am joining “Health Options” a multi-disciplinary group practice here in Christchurch in December 2005.
Suan Tiew (John) Foo
December 04
Niko Hsueh
My name is Niko, before I came to the College I was working in the Christchurch Casino and my wife was working an acupuncturist. She was very busy so I decided to do the training to help her in the clinic.
After my training at College I went to China for five months to learn some specialty techniques to gain some experience working in the hospitals.
I now have a clinic in Ashburton where I work Monday to Friday.
I recommend the College. It is a very friendly and encouraging environment for study and the teachers and facilities are very helpful.
Lisa Houghton
I knew for sometime that I was looking for a career in the healing profession – I’d looked at several options and knew I hadn’t found it until I had my first acupuncture treatment. By what I could feel I know it was a very sophisticated treatment.
I knew about the College and I asked myself “do I want to invest in myself and have a fulfilling career?" and the answer was “yes”. Now I am 6 months into my practice and in a very fortunate situation where I have a mentor who has employed me to help run her business here in Hastings.
I work full time as an acupuncturist and each day is filled with challenges that are both difficult and rewarding and I know my understanding of acupuncture will continue to unfold for me for the rest of my life.
I would recommend the College as it offers a well rounded programme. It includes the practical “hands on” aspect of western anatomy and the muscular skeletal studies and combines this with professional development studies that allow you to do the needed self enquiry necessary for working with others.
Carolyn Eddleston
Before I studied acupuncture I was a GP in the south-west of
England and I was at the stage where I needed to decide whether I was going to join a general practice.
I had always had questions surrounding western medicine and decided I needed a change.
I went to NZ where I met Barbara (Cameron) Tukapua. At that time she was holding an introductory workshop on the philosophy of TCM ~ I was hooked ~ this philosophy made more sense to me than the conventional model of medicine ever did, so I decided to immerse myself in full-time training.
Being in full-time study of oriental medicine was life-changing for me. I was surrounded by a new way of being and seeing. The environment was supportive for learning and personal growth and a place where the individual was honoured.
Now I am back in the UK having married an Englishman with my first baby two weeks away. I have a busy private acupuncture practice which is now being looked after by two locum acupuncturists while I have my baby. I am living my dream.
Update: Carolyn had a baby boy in September 2005. Both well and thriving…
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