Why the Chinese Acupuncturists Should Oppose the FPD
Thanks Jessica for asking me about the viewpoint of Chinese acupuncturists.
(warning) I am not professing to express the views of ALL the Chinese acupuncturists just a little slice of what I see.
- I think the stance of the Chinese acupuncture community could probably be looked at in several ways.
- Simplistically,
the Chinese acupuncturists can be looked at as being pro-FPD. Education
is important to the Chinese, so they probably prefer the increasing
standing of holding a FPD. And as people have mentioned the Chinese
acupuncture professors could look at the FPD as job security.
- The Chinese acupuncture professors and recent
immigrant acupuncturist are probably definitely NOT pro FPD for a
couple of reasons.
- If the FPD becomes the standard, it’ll be harder for
both Chinese acupuncture professors and recent immigrants. Chinese
graduates of acupuncture universities and institutes can graduate with
a bachelors, masters, or ph.D. If FPD becomes the standard, it will
become harder for schools to get professors, because a lot of the
current teachers are not phDs. (especially the older experienced ones).
They will be hard pressed to find phD level professors for all these
new FPD programs.
- Many recent immigrants and new professors will have
a harder time getting licensed to practice and teach in the US.
Currently, a masters level graduate from China probably needs at least
1 year or more of extra courses here before they can take the NCCAOM
test. With the FPD, it’ll probably be even more time consuming and
costly for them. Many of my “professors” were taking courses with me,
so they could take the NCCAOM tests.
- Thus, in many ways the FPD is definitely not job
security for any of the Chinese professors. As we’ve talked about
before with how many of the DAOM programs are costing their acupuncture
schools a lot of $$. In the DAOM program as with the FPD, there are
very specific requirements about levels of education required for
professors and administrators. I think more acupuncture school will
fail and more Chinese professors will be sent back after the FPD.
It can be looked on as a positive that it’ll
eliminate competition and keep the current US acupuncturists “safe”
from more competition.
eliminate competition and keep the current US acupuncturists “safe”
from more competition.
But that’s definitely the WRONG perspective to take.
We NEED to see acupuncture become more well known
through more people getting acupuncture and realizing it’s benefits.
More acupuncturists, more clinics, more community acupuncture clinics,
should only be a good thing. It is WRONG to be in competition against
each other, because then we will never work to reach that level where
acupuncture becomes a common everyday thing.
through more people getting acupuncture and realizing it’s benefits.
More acupuncturists, more clinics, more community acupuncture clinics,
should only be a good thing. It is WRONG to be in competition against
each other, because then we will never work to reach that level where
acupuncture becomes a common everyday thing.
…
- And the Chinese
community will definitely be quiet. Just because it is the culture. If
you’ve lived in China, worked in Hospitals there, everything is top
down. Everything like the FPD is just ignored besides the few power
players that actually make the decisions. The Chinese are NOT pro-FPD.
Silence is not agreement. It is acquiesce to what they think is the
inevitable.
(sorry for formating problems and my lack of technical sense)
(will make additions later since busy scrambling around with holidays right now)
Author: Jade Fang
Opened Jade Community Acupuncture in July of 2009. Loving the CA experience. Love being a part of the community. It's my first time being in business by myself, so writing about the roller coaster ride it is being a first time businesswoman. Have some marketing experience, love to help people with their marketing. Really appreciate the community of support with CAN! Everyone's helped me so much!
thank you so much Jade
for sharing your perspective. That all makes a lot of sense.
“You know how people always say there’s a reasonable explanation for things like this? Well, there isn’t.” Daniel Pinkwater, The Neddiad
Thank you, Jade.
What a loss it would be for the Chinese community if the FPD goes through. I really appreciate your thoughts on this…
thanks
Thanks so much for this info and for your perspective.
Its important that we white people (acupunks and others) figure out how to support our natural allies, all the acupuncturists from various immigrant communities and/or with different cultural/ethnic identities.
Interesting what you say about silence/acquiescence among the Chinese. True, too, with white U.S.ers, but more because we assume the political economic decisions will benefit us. Here is a situation, the possible implementation of the FPD, that LOOKS like more privilige for us, and WILL BE for the very wealthy, and where privilege entails putting friends and allies and beloved colleagues out of business. So, we could go for that with our acquiescence, or…
And, like you said: “We NEED to see acupuncture become more well known through more people getting acupuncture and realizing it’s benefits. More acupuncturists, more clinics, more community acupuncture clinics, should only be a good thing. It is WRONG to be in competition against each other, because then we will never work to reach that level where acupuncture becomes a common everyday thing.”
Thanks again, Korben Perry Philadelphia Community Acupuncture
speaking out
Thanks for speaking out Jade – even while acknowledging that the conditioning amongst ethnic minority Chinese is to remain silent.
The tendency to remain silent is pervasive amongst most humans. The issue of an ethnic minority within a dominant culture underscores the wider issue of people who perceive themselves as less powerful, remaining silent in the shadow of those who are perceived as more powerful.
Not to be overly dramatical, but another obvious example is the Germans under Hitler, and maybe, the Americans under Bush.
Which brings us to acupuncturists. Our conditioning as punks is that we are a small bit player in American medicine. Who is the top dog? Not important, just stay silent and try to get fed from the trickle down dysfunctional corporate (sick) care.
It’s easy to speak out on CAN, but harder to speak out on some of the other lists and to those with perceived power. Who knows who might be listening? We might risk the few privileges we have. Scarey,
Thanks for the reminders everyone about being aware of privilege.
Thanks for your thoughts, Jade.
I appreciate hearing your point of view very much.