Medical Acupuncture, 15 credits

A minimum of 120 credits and a licence to practise issued by Socialstyrelsen as a physiotherapist, nurse, occupational therapist, doctor of medicine or dentist. Or a licence to practise issued by Socialstyrelsen as a naprapath or chiropractor. Swedish and English language skills equivalent to Swedish B and English A at Swedish upper secondary school.

The course in medical acupuncture aims at achieving skills in integrating medical acupuncture as a treatment method for pain in
clinical practice.

Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- explain origin and modulation of pain from a physiological perspective.
- describe how medical acupuncture modulates the nervous system and influences physiological processes.
- describe, explain and motivate dosage, indications and contraindications, risks, legal aspects and keeping medical records as well as
- critically describe and review treatment principles from a physiological perspective.

Skills and abilities
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- classify a given pain condition and explain the choice based on knowledge in pain physiology and known clinical findings and be able to apply principles of pain measurement and pain rating.
- independently plan, carry out and evaluate treatment with manual acupuncture/electroacupuncture in different pain conditions.

Judgement and approach
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- reflect on individual variations that can influence the pain experience, the planning and the implementation of the acupuncture treatment such as the effect of sex, age, physiological and psychological factors.
- reflect and evaluate design and performance analysis in scientific articles in the area of acupuncture.

The course is divided into four parts.

All in the course included parts start from a problem-oriented and collaborative view on learning where the working methods give precondition because the student takes responsibility for his learning actively. Central is to take responsibility for the learning and to search and evaluate new knowledge.

The course contains lectures, seminars and practical application. In addition, self studies. The students will also write and present an advanced assignment orally.

Practical application (needling practise) takes place in pairs during the entire course why you as a participant need to feel comfortable being needled during the course.

Compulsory parts in the course are seminars and practical applied parts which are marked in the timetable. Attendance at other lements in the course are not compulsory, but are strongly recommended.

Part 1. Pain physiology
Be examined in writing at the first course date.

Part 2. Medical acupuncture; physiology and treatment
Is examined via compulsory seminars and workshops* and in a written exam at the end of the course.

Part 3. Practical application and patient case seminars
Is examined using compulsory practical exercises and seminars*.

Part 4. Written advanced assignment
Is examined through a written advanced assignment that also should be presented orally.

* Certain absence can be compensated via retake occasion for the practical exercises and with complementary assignment for the seminars. At too large absence students will not be approved. Possibility to supplement compulsory parts can be offered at most once at future course date, provided that there is a determined course date. This can not be guaranteed and applies in case
of a vacancy.

Student who has not passed after regular examination session has the right to participate at further five examination sessions. If the student has carried out six failed examinations/tests no more examination session will be given. Every time the student participates in the same test counts as an examination session. Submission of blank exam is counted as examination session. Examination session to which the student has registered but not participated in will not be counted as an examination session.

Examination will be provided during a time of two years after a possible close-down of the course. Examination can take place according to earlier literature list during a time of a year after the date when a renewal of the literature list has been made.
 

Language of instruction: Swedish.