The Contemporary Oriental Medicine Foundation acquired Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine (DRCOM) in 2014 as a significant part of its mission to preserve and disseminate the work of Dr. Leon Hammer, and to educate the next generation of acupuncturists.

Located in Gainesville, Florida, the College was founded as a small, private school in 2001, named Dragon Rises School of Oriental Medicine, after Dr. Hammer’s book Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies. From its inception, it was committed to teaching a new, updated form of Chinese medicine; it’s this medicine that has now come to be known as Contemporary Oriental Medicine, or COM. Dr. Hammer developed the curriculum, which he taught, alongside some of his most-committed students, until his retirement.

In subsequent years, the School received full accreditation from ACAOM, and college status from the State of Florida Department of Education. It was at this time that the name was changed to its present form: Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine.

In 2014, the Foundation converted DRCOM into a not-for-profit institution. This change has had considerable positive implications for the long-term strength and stability of the College, and its curriculum.

The College prides itself on its commitment to COM and the works of Dr. Hammer, but also on its dedication to its students. As Dr. Hammer himself said, “The goal of a COM education is to provide, in addition to skills and knowledge, a nourishing personal experience that graduate practitioners can later transmit organically to their patients.” Each student, like each patient, is an individual, and at DRCOM, each student is recognized and celebrated.

The Contemporary Oriental Medicine Foundation is proud to be associated with such a remarkable educational institution. It is our hope that DRCOM will continue to contribute to our vision for a better future, where medicine is truly a force for healing.

• DRCOM is the only college in the world that teaches 165 hours of pulse diagnosis (Shen-Hammer Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis [CCPD]), over a period of seven semesters.

• DRCOM is the only college in the world that teaches COM in its entirety, or where the majority of faculty members have had the unique privilege of being taught by Dr. Hammer himself.