Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM) announced that effective today it will be formally changing its name to the Pacific College of Health and Science.
The change reflects the interests of the school's students, faculty, and alumni that now extend well beyond Chinese medicine. The time has come for the college to adopt a name that embraces that diversity and which will meet the needs of future generations, as well as today's nursing, acupuncture, massage, and health science students. The change also signals Chinese medicine's entrance into the mainstream of healthcare and medical science. No longer just complementary or alternative, Chinese medicine will be taught side by side with nursing and the science of human performance. Pacific College COO Malcolm Youngren states, "The school's central vision of being a recognized leader in delivering traditional medicine and integrative health science education remains as consistent as it has in the past while looking forward to the future."
Pacific College's newest offerings include the Master of Science in Health and Human Performance and the Medical Cannabis Certificate based on the standards of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Additional undergraduate and graduate nursing degrees are currently under development, all of which include a Chinese medical component.
According to Pacific College President Jack Miller, "By teaching nurses and other healthcare providers the principles of Chinese medicine, a truly integrative, patient-centered medical team is created. There are so many promising developments across the entire spectrum of health and science that can and should be embraced by institutions of Chinese medicine for the benefit of their students and alumni, and ultimately, their patients."
While the name change reflects the forward thinking nature of the institution's academic leadership, the values and mission remain the same: improving lives by educating and inspiring compassionate, skilled leaders of traditional medicine and integrative health sciences.
