Specializing in oncology, the program will only be open to licensed acupuncturists. Along with a school in Oregon whose DAOM program begins this summer, Bastyr University will be the first institution in the nation to offer this degree. The Bastyr program recently received accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Schools and Colleges, and has been approved by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Terry Courtney, MPH, LAc, chair of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Department, expressed her excitement about the prospects offered by the new program: "Acupuncture is among the most frequently used modalities in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Yet, there has not been a doctorate program in the United States until now. Bastyr University is proud to be in the forefront of expanding educational opportunities for practitioners of acupuncture and Oriental medicine."

The DAOM program can be completed in 11 quarters and is designed to accommodate acupuncturists who want to maintain their practices as they attend school. Students will rotate through several clinical sites, including the Bastyr Center for Natural Health, and the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. Advanced clinical work in oncology will also be available at the Chengdu and Shanghai Universities of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. Students will also be required to complete a research project.

Bastyr University is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the study of natural healing and is the leading university for natural health sciences in the United States. Bastyr encompasses a multi-disciplinary and rigorous curriculum, a world-renowned research institute and the largest natural health clinic in the state of Washington.