The Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) degree program provides an opportunity for practicing acupuncturists to gain in-depth knowledge of advanced topics in both Oriental medicine and Western medicine. The heart of doctoral education at OCOM is the development of lifelong learners and scholars. The program builds upon the abilities of acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners who can lead and collaborate and who understand the foundations of medical knowledge, both East and West, practitioners who apply disciplined inquiry and careful assessment of evidence to make reasoned conclusions, express themselves articulately, and have a historical and cultural context for today’s health care problems and challenges.

The DAOM degree represents the highest formal educational credential available in the field of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the United States. A doctoral degree can open numerous doors for a licensed acupuncturist; it can provide increased stature within the health care community, the potential for hospital credentialing, teaching and research opportunities, and increased income. Many doctoral graduates go on to publish journal articles, many of which are available online or in the OCOM Library. Doctoral students cultivate areas of interest during the program, and report greater patient confidence because of their advanced training. 

Oregon College of Oriental Medicine was one of the first colleges to administer a doctoral program in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, graduating the nation’s very first class of DAOM students in 2005. Our program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).

OCOM has been advanced to candidacy status for accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) at the master’s and doctoral degree levels.