Students learn skills to be able to make appropriate medical referrals and communicate with biomedical practitioners and patients concurrently with studying Oriental medicine. These courses provide the foundation for making emergency referrals and understanding the basic principles of Western clinical medicine. The emphasis in the classes is on material relevant to Oriental medical practice and its interrelationship with other health care providers.

This course covers the basics of biochemistry as they relate to human physiology and metabolism. Students then study the biochemical basis for human nutrition, herbal actions and pharmacological properties.  This course prepares students for future studies in drug and herb interactions.

This course covers surface anatomy of the living human body and how to identify anatomical landmarks useful in acupuncture and acupressure.

This course covers the nature of disease according to biomedicine and the common responses of the human body to injury and illness.

This course covers essential information regarding immunology and the infectious diseases that an Oriental medicine practitioner is likely to face in American clinics. Specific emphasis is given to AIDS, hepatitis and infectious respiratory diseases as well as procedures to safeguard the patient and practitioner. The course includes material for the required AIDS education training in Washington state.

This course covers the common medical terms needed to communicate with patients and health care professionals.

This course provides an introduction to pharmacology and then investigates the biochemical nature of herbs and their potential interactions with various pharmaceuticals. Emphasis is placed on identifying interactions that could be harmful to patients.

This series of courses in the second year of the program provides in-depth study into common clinical conditions from a western perspective and integrates the learning regarding the pathophysiology of disease, lab and physical assessment findings, differential diagnostic skills, and relevant treatment options. The courses emphasize developing skills in collaborative communication with other medical professionals, methods to access information on medical conditions, and relevant physical assessment and decision-making protocols for making appropriate referrals, especially for medical emergencies.  In covering the western therapeutics the courses cover the primary pharmacological agents used for various health conditions.  Case studies are used extensively to illustrate the application of skills in practice. 

This course provides information on acupuncture and its use in the public health setting, especially in the care of those who are chemically dependent. Following the course students participate in an acupuncture clinic treating chemically dependent patients. This training meets NADA certification requirements which is a common prerequisite for working in public health facilities and prisons where acupuncture is used in treating drug addiction.