for acupuncture students, alumni, faculty & friends — sponsored by AIMC Berkeley

Creating the group for participation in Farmers Market and other events for marketing our college and practicing our skills

At the last Student Council meeting I brought up and idea of marketing our college at the different public events, -- Farmers Market would be one of them. Idea is to get more exposed in community and in such way attract more people to our clinic as a patients and may be potential students. What are the benefits for participants of this activity?
1. I am thinking of creating 3-4 groups that would work in shifts at the events: Tongue and Pulse diagnosis (students who would like to practice their skills in diagnosing will have way more options to see different tongues and feel different pulses), Bodywork/shiatsu/acupressure/tuina/ (people who have skills in any of those fields will be welcome to participate). Medical Qigong Healing group (those who are done with Medical Qigong Program or at least with first 2 modules -- either can complete their practical hours they to get certified or improve their skills, -- something that I have been asked about many times), the last one could be using contact Tei shin/Shi Zhen needles. In genereal this is a great opportunity to practice your skills how to build up your future private practice.
2. The main benefits for students: we will ask our administration to allow us to count those hours toward our clinic hours. (The way it was done before).
There may be requirements for students who would participate (i.e. TCM Diagnosis completed course for tongue and pulse diagnosis group).
People who wants to participate please contact me to get on the list: mrmagicvd66@aol.com
I will need from you information on your skills if any specific or group you want to participate into.
We will try to have booth on Saturdays at the Farmer's Market (another day during the week is possible as well)
There will be shifts for a few hours (same as in clinic), so many people can participate, but do not delay in contacting me.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tracy Richardson on October 19, 2009 at 7:15pm: I would like to be apart of this. Let get the word out about our clinic to our community.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vadim Derevyanko on October 20, 2009 at 11:34am: Thank you for response Tracy.
That is a good start. I think that more people will join us very soon
I am planning to have conversation about details how move further with this idea with administration.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sierra-maria Magdalena on October 20, 2009 at 9:34am: I am interested Vadim! I praactice Zen Shiatsu and Amma therapy and would also love to practice tongue and pulse (as well as hara) diagnosis. Can you please add me to 'the list'? Thanks for spearheading this!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vadim Derevyanko on October 20, 2009 at 11:36am: Will be glad to see you in a team!!
Please the word in your term. I know that not all students are registered in acuchannel and have information about this event.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sara Szmodis on October 21, 2009 at 7:19pm: If I remember correctly, this idea was put to a slightly different administration about a year or so ago. At the time, Abba, our Marketing Director was involved in the conversation as was Glenn and others. I don't recall every single detail of all of it but one of the major issues was getting the spot "staffed" every week regularly. There was some concern that after the initial novelty wore off, there would be waning interest leaving the spot unstaffed or all of the responsibility on a small group of people.

There was also conversation about counting these kinds of hours as clinic hours--you'll want to be very, very sure that the Board's regs allow such a thing and to what extent. It would be most unfortunate for someone to put in, say, 20 hours and then have to make up hours later one because of a Board requirement. This is particularly important if people will be using other skills beyond those within our scope of practice.

You'll also want to check with the Berkeley Ecology Center (the folks who organize the markets) to see what their requirements would be--they have massage therapists who frequent the Saturday market already so it may take some negotiating and working out of details as to what they want/need/are willing to have.

I'm not saying that this is a bad idea--it's a great idea with lots of potential to do all of the things described. I just wanted to point out some of the things that have been discussed previously, so that you can be more informed about the history around this.

Good luck!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tracy Richardson on October 21, 2009 at 8:59pm: Cool Sara thanks, I was at whole Foods and thought that the nautral foods markets would be a good place to
set up a table too! I am excited about this project.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vadim Derevyanko on October 21, 2009 at 9:04pm: Thank you Sara!
I will take in consideration these very useful tips. I personally will not participate myself if those hours will not fly. It will happen only if this will work. This is the main thing.
About details how it will work: let see. Without trying hard to say.
About constant invovement -- I agree, this may happen, or it may attract even more people, depends on many factors.
I am just trying to be optimistic here. I think it is always place for optimism.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Deb Gorman on October 29, 2009 at 4:51pm: Could you see if hours could count toward the business building classes as well?
Thanks for your energy!
Deb; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vadim Derevyanko on October 30, 2009 at 4:28am: I do not how many hours, but I know that I believe in Yang of Practice Builiding there is a similar project to get credit for this class. May be not the other classes.
Let me check with Ken Berry.; ▶ Reply to This