One of the incredibly cool things about Oriental Medicine is the number of ways there are to address any given malady/condition/issue. One of the incredibly confusing and occasionally frustrating things about Oriental Medicine is the number of ways there are to address any given malady/condition/issue. There is TCM. There is 8 Extras. There are balancing methods. There is Japanese style. There is Five Elements. Just to name a few. We're taught, in order to eventually pass the national (and state) exams, TCM. TCM is a relatively new construct, one that was created less than 100 years ago and now characterizes the education in our country for a medicine that has spanned over 3,000 years. 3,000. The linear organization that allows for the medicine to be taught didactically, in a classroom setting, is structurally apparent in every aspect of the curriculum. Historically, this medicine was about apprenticing oneself to a master and following for years and years and l...