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
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 18 of 18 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.
C
- CCAHM
- Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine; the organization providing the Clean Needle Technique (CNT) certification required for students.
- 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.
G
- Grand Rounds
- A clinical learning session where students observe a supervisor treating a patient and discuss the diagnosis.
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.
- 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.
S
- SGA
- Student Government Association; the primary body representing student interests at the college.
T
- TCM
- Traditional Chinese Medicine, the primary medical framework and philosophy taught across the college's programs.
- 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.
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.
- Clinic Handbook
- The essential manual that outlines all rules, dress codes, and procedures for working in the school's professional clinic.
- 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.
- 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.
- Moodle
- The Learning Management System (LMS) used for all online course materials, assignments, and hybrid learning.
- Observation
- The first phase of clinical training where students must complete a set number of hours watching licensed practitioners treat patients.
- Shift
- A scheduled 4-hour block of time in the student clinic where interns treat patients under supervision.
- The Clinic
- The Pacific Center for Health; the on-site professional clinic where students complete their clinical rotations.
- 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.
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?
- 18 approved campus terms and 15 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.