The Five Branches Institute, College and Clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine became the first TCM/ Acupuncture College in the United States to open a Medical Qigong Clinic on April 7th., 2000. This clinic not only serves as an invaluable teaching resource for the Five Branches acupuncture stu- dents, but 含Iso serves as an affordable alternative medical clinic for the general public.
Founded in 1984, the Five Branches Institute has been known not only for its^leadership in TCM education, but also as an academic innovator as well. It was the first, and remains the only, TCM College to establish a Neurology Center (founded in 1995) for the specialized treatment of paralyzed patients, under the directorship of the world-famous Chinese physician Doctor Ming Qing Zhu, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCA), M.D. (China).
The Five Branches Medical. Qigong Clinic
The Five Branches Medical Qigong Clinic is currently divided into 3 treatment areas. The main area (Clinic A) is used to treat patients with less severe conditions; the second area (Clinic B) is used specifically for the treatment of cancer patients. The third treatment area is designed for video taping the patient's Medical Qigong prescription exercises and meditations.
Clinic A is the primary care facility of all patients. The patients are first assessed, and then assigned to a treatment team. Each team is com- prised of at least one senior intern and several clinical students. Each team diagnoses, treats, and then prescribes Medical Qigong exercises and meditations for each patient. Some patients with potentially terminal illnesses (cancer, tumors etc.) may require specialized treatments, and are referred to the Clinic B.
The main goal of the Clinic B is to specialize in Oncology, and to work closely with the Academic Dean and Clinical Medical Director Dr. Joanna Zhao, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCA), D.T.C.M. (China), who prescribes herbal therapy to complement the Qi Emission therapy and Medical Qigong prescriptions.
The Director of the Medical Qigong Clinic is Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson, whose duty is to oversee the "Doctors in Charge" of the 3 treatment areas, as well as regulate the patient load between Clinics A and B.
The Doctors in Charge of the Medical Qigong Clinics are: Jean Ruth Vlamynck, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac., M.Q.T., and Adam Atman, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac., M.Q.T. Their duty is to over
see the Medical Qigong doctors on staff within the three treatment areas, supervise the current interns, and make themselves available for consultations when needed.
