 Aloha Kakou to all!
These are exciting times to be a part of HICOM. It is the one year anniversary of changing the college's name to Hawai'i College of Oriental Medicine and over twenty wonderful years of training students to be acupuncturists and herbalists.
HICOM is meeting important milestones;
1) First All School Gathering with entire HICOM Ohana,
2) Plan to grow college to 100 students with HICOM Healer 100 Loan Fund is ready,
3) Accreditation response is more than half completed,
4) Comprehensive Academic Assessment plan is being developed,
5) Upgrading clinical education to integrate western medicine standards setting the stage to be a fully integrative medicine clinic is now happening.
Be sure to see articles below on Gathering, Loan Fund, Dane Silva features in Hana Hou magazine, clinical education integrating western medicine and accreditation update on academic assessment program.
We have some amazing seminars and trainings happening at HICOM that you will not want to miss. Be sure to review to make sure you don't miss one you are interested in.
1) Feb 22-24. Dr Norm Shealy, well known neurosurgeon who trained Caroline Myss is offering "Beyond Acupuncture: Healing With Bliss". He has developed a healing protocol that uses acupuncture points in 5 groupings with tapping, massage and oils to engage healing. Excellent for massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nurses and all healers.
click here for information and to register
2) Sat. March 2nd, 2-4pm. Dr Masaru Emoto lectures on "Love & Gratitude Can Heal You & The Earth". He is a very well know author and speaker. We are lucky to have such an important lecturer here in Hilo.
click here for flyer register here
SEMINAR SERIES: Focus on Disaster & Combat Trauma Care
Tues/Wed/Thurs March 12-14 from 6-8pm. Jeffrey Dann, PhD, LAc is offering a training in Manual Medicine "Koshi Balancing", call for details.
Friday, March 15, 2013, 9am-6pm. "Malama Na Koa" Caring For Our Warriors - Veterans Conference. Joe Chang, LAc is sharing his PTSD protocol used at the VA and others will be lecturing. Explore being a first responder in a disaster as an acupuncturist or a veteran.
click here for flyer and to register
Sat/Sun, March 16-17, 2013. Young Masters Seminar - Japanese Acupuncture with Sensei Takahiro Funemizu. Learn techniques on PTSD, Stress and Depression. 15 PDA points approved by NCCAOM.
click here for flyer and to register
Mahalo nui loa goes out to the entire HICOM Ohana for all your love and support.
A hui hou, Greg Baker, COO, CFO.
First All School Gathering Of HICOM Ohana (Family)
Students, Faculty, Deans, President, COO, Board Members and Staff all joined together to learn about where the college is, where it is going and share their responses. Meeting onn the 10th floor in the Kilohano room with the expansive views of Hilo Bay set a beautiful stage for the one year anniversary of becoming HICOM. It was the first time in years the entire HICOM Ohana got to "holo holo" (hang out) with each other which is so important to do.
Dane Silva, HICOM's Chairman of the Board, offered a pule (hawaiian prayer) that acknowledged our ancestors, the aina (land) which includes being located next to Moku Ola (Coconut) island - a very sacred Hawaiian place that only Kahuna's could access in traditional times and requested support for HICOM. As a Kanaka Maoli (native hawaiian), he guides the college in being pono (in right relationship with) everything and everyone.
Dane spoke on cultural competency as a practitioner and healer which is an important message for our medical students. Learning to be sensitive to different values, ways of living and communication styles along with a deep respect for each person is the place to begin when treating patients in a multi-cultural location like Hawai'i.
HICOM president Grif Frost educated the ohana on the role of the volunteer board of directors and introduced them. He emphasized how important Greg Baker's day to day role as essentially the general manager who he works closely with sharing if Greg was not here neither would he. This working relationship makes it possible for someone of his experience to take the role of a part-time president in a small college benefiting everyone.
Grif shared his "Born Raised" process that helps people to quickly get to know each other. The ohana spent time sharing one on one with other members they did not know. The quick result was a new level of understanding and ability to relate with each other.
The ohana then split into groups for 3 breakout discussions on 1) Accreditation update, 2) Financial status update and 3) HICOM Healer program.
Grif Frost went into detail about what is means' to be a HICOM Healer which is the essence of the program at the college. It is looking at what makes us unique as graduates from HICOM. He let everyone know this is an ongoing process that takes a year or more to complete. He invited everyone to share their input in this process.
The following three traits so far sum up a HICOM Healer; holistic, affordable and proven. This is what patients are looking for in the current medical system. Add to this training in nutrition, exercise and personal/business coaching then graduates are uniquely prepared to be successful.
Grif also shared his LQ business philosophy and commitment to build this into the business training for graduates. What makes LQ so effective is you start by deciding what quality of life you want then create a business that makes that possible. This is opposite to what is typically offered in business trainings. Students shared that they find this tool set very important to their success as practitioners and strongly encouraged Grif to share more of this.
Greg Baker as COO, CFO offered a plan for growing the college to 100 students in two years. To do this will take working capital to pay for the expansion and to create a needed reserve fund. The result is the creation of the HICOM HEALER 100 LOAN Fund. It offers people the ability to make an estimated 8 - 9% interest over three to five years. This is a great offering considering typical interest rates available are 1 - 2%. This gives people a way to help the college and help themselves. They get to be a part of creating something that offers so much to so many people from patients to graduates to the entire community.
An accreditation update was offered by Assistant Dean, William Pettis, who is managing this process for HICOM. He let everyone know that needed changes required by ACAOM to remove probationary status are on target to complete in April which will be two months ahead of schedule.
He detailed how the system works of developing a system of academic assessment for the college. He shared how this system is being applied to the clinic. The assessment system provides a method of determining if parts of the education at HICOM are being effective. It also supports the process of amending or updating that education so it can be effective. Students shared that this really helped them to understand the why and how to new changes underway in the clinic.
The All School Gathering will happen once a semester and offers a great way to keep everyone both connected, offer a time to share input and keep up to date on the progress of HICOM. An in-depth follow up discussion has been scheduled a week afterwards to allow more detailed discussions on the direction of the college and to share any concerns with the goal and develop possible solutions. A key aspect of HICOM is engaging all members of the ohana (family) to help each other to make it as amazing as possible.
College Establishes Plan To Grow To One Hundred Students With HICOM HEALER 100 LOAN FUND
HICOM Healer 100 Loan Fund detail pdf - click here
The dynamism, impact on the community and achievement of one hundred students attending HICOM is exciting to consider. The amount of patients who can be helped in the HICOM clinic will grow which can include additional locations as well. Students volunteering in the community can become more than noticeable. HICOM's role in Hilo offering education, careers and healthcare can be substantial. This is what it means to help HICOM by being a part of the loan fund.
"HICOM is on it's way to growing to 100 students in 2 years!" says Greg Baker, COO, CFO. "And we do need the help of our extended ohana (family) to get there. We can't do it without you."
It offers people the ability to make an estimated 8 - 9% interest over three to five years. This is a good offering considering typical interest rates available are 1 - 2%.
The loan fund requires a minimum amount of $10,000 and increments of $5,000. After a 90 day grace period, the college begins a monthly payment of principal and interest that can be from three to five years. The longer the time period the higher the interest rate that is paid.
Grif Frost, HICOM's president, is the first participant offering $10,000. Grif commented, "My investments in Japan are making less than 2%. It is obvious I want a higher return and I want to support the college."
Achieving financial stability, creating desired resources and expanding awareness of the college are goals of the HICOM Healer 100 Loan fund. A third of the fund will be set aside as a reserve to give the college a cushion for the unexpected and/or to be able to take advantage of potential opportunities.
The fund is capped at $550,000 which is roughly the income that 100 students will bring to the college each semester. The first step was to accept new students each semester which was a key change to the college's business model. Adding in a goal of 10 - 15 new students in Spring and Summer along with 15 - 20 new students in Fall creates a good challenge to achieve. And importantly, this goal is doable.
Whenever a business looks to grow it requires spending money before it is received. For example expanding marketing efforts and personnel to manage the process is necessary to reach out to enough people to find those 100 students. And having a team with the right skills and vision is required. HICOM now has that team with two strong business managers of Grif and Greg, along with two top academic managers in the Deans of David and William. Now all it takes is simply obtaining the resources and doing the work.
If helping the college ohana along with obtaining a good interest rate to help your ohana appeals to you please contact Greg Baker right away at (808) 747-4134 or email to gbaker@hicom.edu. We expect this offering to create lots of interest so be sure to contact Greg now.
Hawaiian Airlines Magazine "Hana Hou" Recognizes Dane Silva, Chairman of HICOM's Board, For His Native Intelligence With Lomi Lomi
New Assistant Dean William Pettis, LAc Maps Plan For Integrative Medicine Clinical Training
Assistant Dean, William Pettis with responsibility for clinical education at HICOM is mapping out a plan to have students be prepared for working in the integrative clinic medical environment that is becoming the norm. He recognizes the need for students to be fully functional and conversant as Acupuncturist / Herbalists in the western allopathic medical system.
First steps are to expand the intake and diagnosis process to track standard western medical results such as blood pressure. Volunteer Pam Silva, RN with other 30 years of experience that includes management of the emergency and operating rooms will be working with students in clinic to on these skills (mahalo to Pam!).
Over the summer the plan to expand the intern clinic to a fully integrative medical clinic will be finalized. This will facilitate the goal of adding in specialty clinics on pediatrics, oncology and others. This will combine didactic elective courses with students working alongside clinicians to treat patients. This is a very effective method for obtaining a specialty level of understanding in a specific condition. To get the chance to work alongside other clinicians such as a medical doctor or a naturopathic physician is unusual for acupuncturists. Please stay tuned for more details.
Accreditation Update - HICOM Deepens Academic Assessment Program
Educational institutions use an Academic Assessment programs to confirm the effectiveness of their course learning outcomes with students and provide information to make needed changes. For example, are students competent in the knowledge of the basic acupuncture points in the body.
An assessment program takes the time to do direct testing of students in the program to find out if, in fact, they learned these points. Unsatisfactory results are then mapped to specific courses that teach those points and appropriate changes to syllabi are made. The direct testing of students is repeated again and the results determine what, if anything, is still needed.
HICOM is going through the process of establishing a comprehensive academic assessment system for the MSOM program. An effective program enhances the learning experience of students and provides an evidence based method for evaluation that guides the program to a higher level of quality and competencies.
To implement this program HICOM has established an Academic Review Committee that makes decisions on changes to curriculum. This committee is composed of Dane Silva, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Greg Baker, COO/CFO, David Bruce Leonard, Dean, William Pettis, Assistant Dean and Ruthie Moss, Student Affairs Coordinator. This provides input and oversight from each level of the college from the board to the students.
It has also created a HICOM Advisory Board, different than the Board of Directors, that has an operational level focus and responsibility. It plays an important role of reviewing, guiding and auditing the effectiveness of the HICOM Academic Assessment Program. Please stay tuned for announcement on who is joining the advisory board.
|
|
