The Integrative Medicine Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Residency Program is a two-year hospital based clinical training for Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners. The first of its kind in the United States, the unique residency training is offered by International Center for Integrative Medicine (ICIM) in affiliation with Sutter Hospitals in Berkeley and Oakland, California.

The focus of this program is to integrate the best of Eastern and Western medicine in the environment of acute inpatient care. The program fully prepares residency trainees to effectively use their Traditional Chinese Medicine expertise in hospitals with cutting-edge technology. They work side by side with multidisciplinary care teams as an integrative medicine consultant and participate in clinical studies including research topics on acupuncture and herbal supplements.

The program has witnessed many benefits to the healthcare system and the patients: this integrative care approach has been not only cost-effective but also increased patient satisfaction and retention. The graduates of the program report their practice was greatly enhanced and several were placed in highly competitive inpatient settings upon completion of the residency.

The curriculum is robust and filled with challenging and rewarding activities including: clinical observation and rotations in various specialties, mentorship by renowned experts in the field, supervised yet hands-on encounters with patients under the guidance of expert Integrative Medicine practitioners, didactic training such as attending Grand Rounds, Tumor Boards, Journal Club, and participation in various research projects and presentations.

In strategic partnership with the International Center for Integrative Medicine (ICIM) , HealooNow is offering an innovative and pioneering model of TCM post graduate education, the TCM Residency. Combining the best of Eastern and Western Medicine, this creative program prepares the TCM practitioner to work in the acute care setting as part of an interdisciplinary team.

What People Say about our Program

"The ICIM residency program for Integrative Chinese Medicine was outstanding. There is no other place that offers this type of program currently. Cycling through the different treatment teams gave me a profound understanding of the training of MDs in a hospital setting and a genuine respect for medical doctors. Rotations like cardiology, neurology, nephrology, and gastroenterology all enriched my experience and taught me valuable insights into modern medicine. My experience in ICIM’s program provided the foundation for working in a hospital setting and informs my current work in a teaching hospital regularly."

—K Scott Phelps

(TCM resident 2018 - 2020), Lead Inpatient Acupuncturist, UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, 92868

"The level of integration of acupuncture services in the Hospital residency program, let alone the use of acupuncture in the ICU for non-opioid pain treatments, is truly novel in the United States. It is encouraging to hear of how well it is being received by patients, as well as the attention it is drawing from other programs.”

—Ben Bodea

Executive Officer of the California Acupuncture Board

"…this residency was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The training that I received from my mentors and from hospital rotations was invaluable. I use the knowledge that I gained all the time in my current practice. I'm much more comfortable with western labs, radiology reports, and I am incredibly more confident with western medical practitioners. Most importantly, I am much more capable of reading warning signals behind what seemed like ordinary pain. I understand the strength and weaknesses of both Chinese medicine and Western medicine more thoroughly.”

—Dr. Tehea Robie, MS, L.Ac., DAOM TCM Residency program graduate

"I am very grateful to participate in building the bridge between East and West medicine by training and collaborating with medical students, residents, and tenured physicians."

—Highland Hospital Medical Resident

"It is a very rewarding experience to see the smiling faces of individuals being offered acupuncture who would not otherwise be able to receive TCM treatment”.

—Hospital Attending Physician

Download What People Say PDF

Candidates are currently licensed acupuncturists with at least one-year clinical experience; or Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) graduates.Work experience is waived for practitioners with a doctoral degree in TCM or Oriental Medicine. CA acupuncture license needs to be submitted with the application package in order to be considered. TCM practitioners from out-of-state are welcome to apply and can participate in all program activities except clinical treatment of hospital patients.

ICIM shall only accept CANDIDATES who have professional liability insurance. CANDIDATES shall be required to have and maintain professional liability insurance in the minimum amount of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence and Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) annual aggregate. The amount of professional liability insurance for CANDIDATES is established by HOSPITAL requirements.

All CANDIDATES are required to provide a certificate of insurance proof to ICIM before joining the Residency Program. ICIM will keep a copy of said proof of insurance in CANDIDATES’s personnel file.

Residency trainees will be responsible for all expenses and fees associated with the training, including but not limited to meals and transportation, parking, course material/textbooks, lab coat, vaccination, ID badge, or any other expenses incurred due to requirement of the HOPSPITAL.

1. Complete application package online

Package checklist:
A. Application form
B. Current CV/Resume
C. Personal Letter of Interest to the Program
D. Two Peer Reference Letters
E. Copy of acupuncture license
F. Proof of liability insurance

2. Submit complete package on or before March 1- May 15, 2024

3.Application period open March 1- May 15, 2024
Interviews as applications arrive but completed by May 30 - require in person interview unless applicant is out of country
Decisions by June 1 and applicants noticed
Onboarding June 1-July 31 with 30 day notice to Sutter by 8/1/24

Tuition is $7,875 for licensed practitioners and doctoral graduates, and $4,999 for current students in doctoral program.

Tuition for the residency program is due within fifteen (15) days prior to the start of each trimester. The annual fee can be paid in three installments, with $7,875 due for each trimester, payable to TCMG at Bank of America via ACH or wire payment. Detailed bank information will be sent to candidates after acceptance into the program.

Tuition for the 3-month clinical observation is due within fifteen (15) days prior to the start of the observation program
Tuition is $7,875 for licensed practitioners and doctoral graduates, and $4,999 for current students in doctoral program.

To be updated

Contact us

residency@healoonow.com