Name: Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Address: 502/25-29 Dixon St, Haymarket, NSW, 2000, Australia
Telephone: +61 2 9212 1968
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

General Information
Duration	1 semester
Level	Year 1, Semester 2
Unit Weighting	Unit Credit Points: 10 credit points Total Course Credit Points: 320 credit points
Student Workload	Number of timetabled hours per week: 4-8.5 Number of personal study hours per week: 1.5-6 Total workload hours per week: 10
Prerequisites	TCM113 Fundamental Theory of TCM & TCM Terminology; PRI104 Communication in Health
Academic Details
Description	This unit provides students with foundational knowledge and skills in TCM diagnosis and covers the methods and procedures relevant to TCM clinical data collection, data organisation and interpretation, which will assist in the disease diagnosis including identification of the disease and syndrome differentiation. Students will learn about the guiding principles of Chinese medicine diagnosis and the four primary data collection methods used in TCM diagnosis, methods of identification of syndrome differentiation, procedures for collecting diagnostic information and application of data collection, pattern identification and case recording. Additionally, this unit includes 30 hours of study covering Clinical Theory which achieves the classification of Level 1 ‘Beginner’ in the Clinical Practice Program (CPP). Clinical Theory introduces students to all facets of duty operation in a TCM Clinic through workshops and clinical observation. By attending 21 hours of clinic workshops, students are familiarised with clinical policy and procedures, introductory ethics, infection control procedures, principles of professional communication, data collection, file management, personal hygiene, safe clinical practice, and adverse reactions/events reporting including referral and prompt transfer to medical services. Students also attend 9 hours of clinical practice in the SITCM Teaching Clinic to observe treatment procedures and learn about the skills required in the next Level of the Clinical Practice Program – Level 2 ‘Clinical Assistant’.
Learning outcomes	On successful completion of this unit students will be able to: Describe the fundamental principles of TCM diagnosis and the four data collection methods used in TCM diagnosis including inspection, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation and palpation. Evaluate the clinical significance and interrelationships of the main signs and symptoms in the identification of TCM disease and syndromes differentiation. Describe the contribution and significance of the following theories and indicators to the identification of syndromes: The Eight Principles, Internal Organs, Qi, Blood and Body Fluids, Six-meridians, Four Levels and Triple Burners theory. Demonstrate the application of TCM diagnostic methodologies in the identification of disease and syndromes through case-history taking, and physical-examination conducting (including tongue and pulse diagnosis). Demonstrate adherence to relevant NSQHS Standards and CMBA codes and guidelines in clinic workshops and/or supervised clinical practice, including: informed consent, patient privacy and confidentiality, patient records, professional communication, adverse reaction and incident reporting, first aid and life support procedures, infection control, safe Chinese Medicine practice, and quality use of herbal medicines.
Assessment	Clinical Theory Online Test (10%) TCM Diagnosis Quiz (10%) Clinical Observation Assessment (20%) TCM Diagnosis Class Exam (20%) Final Examination (40%)
Prescribed Textbooks/Readings	* The prescribed and recommended readings are subject to annual review. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). National Safety and Quality Health Services Standards (2nd ed.). https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-05/national_safety_and_quality_health_service_nsqhs_standards_second_edition_-_updated_may_2021.pdf Anastasi, J.K., Currie, L.M., & Kim, G.H. (2009). Understanding diagnostic reasoning in TCM practice: tongue diagnosis. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 15(3), 18-28. http://www.alternative-therapies.com/resources/web_pdfs/recent/0509_anastasi.pdf Chinese Medicine Board of Australia. (2022, June 29). Codes and Guidelines. https://www.chinesemedicineboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines.aspx Dharmanada, S., & Dorr, C. (2000). The significance of traditional pulse diagnosis in the modern practice of Chinese Medicine. Institute of Traditional Medicine. http://www.itmonline.org/arts/pulse.htm Fu, J., Yan, H., & Jie, H. J. D. (2013). The Teaching Method of Interrogation in Traditional Chinese Diagnostics. Frontier and Future Development of Information Technology in Medicine and Education (pp. 3389–3393). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7618-0_439 Leung, L. (2011). Traditional Chinese Medicine—A Beginner’s Guide. InnovAiT, 4(1), 49–54. https://doi.org/10.1093/innovait/inq115 Maciocia, G. (2015). The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text (3rd ed.). Churchill Livingstone. Mei, M.F. (2011). A systematic analysis of the theory and practice of syndrome differentiation. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 17(11), 803-810. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22057408/ National Health and Medical Research Council. (2019, May). Australian guidelines for the prevention and control of infection in healthcare. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-prevention-and-control-infection-healthcare-2019 Shen, Xu. (1985). The Differentiation of Syndrome According to the Theories of the Six Channels, the Wei, Qi Ying and Xue System and the Sanjiao. Journal of Chinese Medicine, 17, 2-26.

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