The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) has announced that it will close its doors after 41 years of history. The Portland-based school cited three main factors for its decision to close: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, major changes in higher education, and financial challenges caused by the reduction of traditional Chinese medicine education. OCOM boasts more than 1,500 alumni active across all 50 states.
Pending approval from the accrediting body, OCOM will stop offering classes from September onwards (OCOM’s fourth-year students graduate on August 26th). All current and incoming students at OCOM will have the option to continue their education at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUHM) or Five Branch University, or transfer to another school.
OCOM looks after both current and incoming students. The Board of Trustees voted for nearby NUHM to enter into an agreement that guarantees the admission of all current OCOM students. Juniors are given the option of a comprehensive transfer of credits as their final year, first and second years are given the option of a comprehensive transfer of credits, and incoming OCOM students are automatically admitted. The oldest accredited naturopathic medical school in North America, NUHM also offers Chinese medicine and acupuncture programs, as well as graduate programs in nutrition, integrative medical studies, and integrative health sciences.
The board also voted to enter into an agreement with San Francisco Bay Area-based Five Branch to accept OCOM’s DAOM students into Five Branch’s doctoral program in acupuncture and herbal medicine.
“The closure of OCOM is a great loss for our profession. I welcome back OCOM students and faculty with unwavering commitment and pledge to do all we can to preserve their mission and traditions,” NUNM President and CEO Melanie Henriksen ND, CNM said in a joint press release announcing the closure. “Continuing OCOM’s tradition of excellence is the right thing to do for the profession of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. We will open our doors not only to OCOM students, but also to the university’s faculty, staff and patient community.”
In the same release, Five Branch president and CEO Ron Zeidman, MAcHM, MBA, said, “We are excited to support OCOM students and ensure a smooth transition for them into our program and the Five Branch community. All of our schools share the rich healing traditions of Chinese medicine and understand its role as a powerful force in health care.”
Editor’s note: Readers of our June issue (online, print version not yet available) will remember that another school, AOMA, closed in April – click here for more information.
