Choosing points from the principle
Start from the treatment principle you have written, then pick points that carry it out, using a searchable point picker.
Acupuncture point selection
Acupuncture point selection practice in TCM cases
Knowing a point's actions is one skill. Choosing the right points for the patient in front of you is another. Shen Study cases ask you to select acupuncture points for the pattern and treatment principle you have identified, then show how your choices compare with a model prescription.
Built as a study aid for Chinese medicine and acupuncture students - use alongside lectures, supervision and primary texts.
Why practise point selection inside a case
Point lists are easy to recite and hard to use. In clinic and in case-based exams, the question is not "what does this point do?" but "which points fit this pattern, and why?"
Shen Study places point selection after pattern differentiation and treatment principle, in the same order you would reason in clinic. When the feedback shows a stronger choice, it explains the job that point does for this patient.
What you practise
Explaining each point's job
Feedback compares your selection with a model prescription and explains what each point contributes to the treatment.
Linking points to findings
Tongue, pulse, pattern and point findings in the case open their reference entries in context, so you can check a point while you reason.
- Point selection is one step of a full case: pattern, treatment principle, points and formula.
- Cases span the main organ systems and three difficulty levels.
- Missed points show up in your feedback, so you can see which choices need work.
- Point location and needling technique are hands-on skills: keep practising them in class and supervised clinic.
A point selection routine
Use a case when point actions feel familiar but choosing a prescription still feels uncertain.
Read the whole presentation and identify the pattern.
Write the treatment principle before choosing any point.
Select points that each serve the principle, and be able to say why.
Compare the model prescription and note the points you missed.
Questions students ask
Is there a quiz on point locations?
No. Shen Study practises point selection inside TCM cases. Point location is best learned hands-on, with teacher correction in class and clinic.
How is my point selection checked?
Your points are compared with a model prescription for the case's pattern and treatment principle, and the feedback explains what each point contributes.
Is this useful for qualified acupuncturists?
It can be. Practitioners use case practice to revisit pattern-based point selection and test their reasoning on unfamiliar presentations.
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Choose points for a real presentation
Work one case from pattern to point prescription, then use the feedback to sharpen the next one.
Try a free case