Academic calendar
Spring Term 2026 runs May 4, 2026 – Aug 16, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Spring Term 2026Relevant now
- Fall Semester 2026
- Winter Semester 2027
- Spring Term 2027
Campus language
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Showing 34 of 34 terms
1
- 19th Floor
- Specifically used at the New York campus to refer to the student lounge and common area located on that floor.
A
- ASA
- Acupuncture Student Association; a common student-led group focused on professional advocacy.
B
- BIPOC Club
- Student group dedicated to supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color within the college community.
C
- CCAHM
- Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine; the organization providing the Clean Needle Technique (CNT) certification required for students.
- Clinic Intern
- A student who has advanced to the clinical phase of their program and is authorized to treat patients under supervision.
- CNT
- Clean Needle Technique; the mandatory safety certification required before students are allowed to practice needling in the clinic.
- Comps
- Comprehensive examinations; high-stakes tests required to progress through the acupuncture and massage programs.
- CSOMA
- California State Oriental Medical Association; a professional organization frequently discussed and joined by San Diego campus students.
D
- DAc
- Doctor of Acupuncture; a specific doctoral degree track.
- DACM
- Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine; the professional doctorate degree offered by the college.
E
- EDI
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, a student-involved group focused on campus culture and social justice.
G
- Grand Rounds
- A clinical learning session where students observe a supervisor treating a patient and discuss the diagnosis.
H
- Herb Club
- A popular student organization focused on the study and practice of herbal medicine.
- Herb Lab
- The specialized classroom or area where students study and identify raw Chinese botanicals.
L
- LGBTQIA+ Club
- Student organization providing a supportive space for queer and trans students.
N
- NCCAOM
- National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine; the body that administers the 'Boards' students must pass.
- Needling
- The practical application of acupuncture needles, often used to describe lab practice sessions.
P
- Pacific
- The common shorthand used by students and faculty to refer to the college.
- Pacific Symposium
- The college's massive annual conference in San Diego, considered a mandatory-attendance 'rite of passage' for many students.
- PCHS
- The current official acronym for Pacific College of Health and Science.
- PCOM
- The school's former name (Pacific College of Oriental Medicine), still widely used by students, faculty, and alumni.
- Point Loc
- Shorthand for 'Point Location' classes, the foundational courses where students learn to find acupuncture points on the body.
- Point Location
- A fundamental class and skill set involving the precise identification of acupuncture points on the body.
Q
- Qi Gong
- A mind-body-spirit practice that is a standard part of the student training and curriculum.
S
- SC
- Student Council; the primary student leadership body across all three campuses.
- SGA
- Student Government Association; the primary body representing student interests at the college.
- Student Lounge
- The primary on-campus area for food and breaks, equipped with refrigerators, microwaves, and vending machines for commuter students.
T
- TCM
- Traditional Chinese Medicine, the primary medical framework and philosophy taught across the college's programs.
- Tea-friendly nooks
- Dedicated spaces within the student lounges designed for the preparation and consumption of tea, reflecting the school's holistic focus.
- The Boards
- The series of national exams administered by the NCCAOM that students must pass to become licensed.
- The Clinic
- The Pacific Center for Health, the on-site professional clinic where students complete their clinical internships.
- The Kitchenette
- The small area provided for students to heat food and store lunches in the absence of a cafeteria.
- The Lounge
- The designated student break area at each campus where students eat and socialize, as there are no formal dining halls.
- TOM
- Traditional Oriental Medicine; the core academic framework for many of the college's programs.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- 110 William
- Common shorthand for the New York City campus, referring to its address at 110 William Street in Lower Manhattan.
- 230 W Monroe
- The address and common name for the Chicago campus facility in the downtown Loop.
- Annex 1
- A secondary building at the San Diego campus located a short walk from the main facility.
- Clinic Handbook
- The essential manual that outlines all rules, dress codes, and procedures for working in the school's professional clinic.
- Clinic Shift
- A four-hour block of clinical practice required for graduation.
- Clinical Theater
- A specific type of clinical observation where a group of students watches a practitioner treat a patient behind a one-way mirror or via video.
- CNT
- Clean Needle Technique; a mandatory safety certification required before students can begin needling in clinic.
- CTA U-Pass
- A transit pass provided to Chicago students that allows for unlimited rides on the 'El' and city buses.
- EHS
- Educational Housing Services; the third-party partner used by New York students to find local housing.
- Internship
- The final phase of clinical training where students treat patients under supervision.
- Lower Manhattan
- The shorthand for the New York City campus location near the Financial District.
- Malpractice
- Shorthand for the mandatory professional liability insurance students must maintain through the college to participate in clinical work.
- Mission Valley
- The shorthand for the San Diego campus location.
- Mission Valley
- The San Diego neighborhood where the campus is situated, known for its proximity to shopping and housing.
- Moodle
- The Learning Management System (LMS) used for all online course materials, assignments, and hybrid learning.
- MTS/NCTD
- The San Diego transit systems (Metropolitan Transit System and North County Transit District) for which students can obtain discounted passes.
- Observation
- The first phase of clinical training where students must complete a set number of hours watching licensed practitioners treat patients.
- Pacific Center for Lifelong Learning
- The college's online division that manages continuing education and specialized certificate programs.
- Pacific Symposium
- The college's massive annual conference that brings together students and professionals from around the world.
- Qi Gong
- A mind-body-spirit practice integrated into the curriculum that students are encouraged to practice on campus.
- Shift
- A scheduled 4-hour block of time in the student clinic where interns treat patients under supervision.
- StudentHub
- The central virtual campus and information portal used for accessing grades, schedules, and financial aid.
- The Clinic
- The Pacific Center for Health; the on-site professional clinic where students complete their clinical rotations.
- The Dispensary
- The herbal pharmacy located within the campus clinics where students learn to formulate and dispense traditional remedies.
- The El
- Chicago's elevated train system, the primary transit method for students at the Chicago campus.
- The Hub
- The central online student portal used for accessing grades, registration, and financial aid information.
- The Library
- Refers to the specialized collection of medical and TCM texts available at each campus, often used as the primary quiet study space.
- The Loop
- The shorthand for the Chicago campus location.
- Wacker
- Common shorthand for the Chicago campus, referring to its location at 65 E. Wacker Place.
- West Monroe
- The Chicago campus, located at 230 West Monroe Street in the downtown Loop area.
- William Street
- The shorthand for the New York campus location in the Financial District.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Spring Term 2026 runs May 4, 2026 – Aug 16, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 34 approved campus terms and 31 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.