NEIJING NATURE-BASED MEDICINE
The Apricot Grove School of Neijing Nature-Based Medicine
General Policies
Our Community
At the heart of our community is a deep commitment to the well-being and inclusion of all members. We foster a diverse community of learners, embracing a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Our approach to scholarship is rooted in ethics — diverse viewpoints are valued and encouraged, provided they are shared respectfully. Everyone is welcome here, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender identity, background, or educational history. Just as diversity is a hallmark of thriving ecosystems, we celebrate it as essential to our growth.
In today’s world, our community serves as a sanctuary for learning and renewal. To maintain that environment, we have a zero-tolerance policy for derogatory comments, bullying, grandstanding, or disrespectful behavior. Students who continue to exhibit such behavior after receiving feedback from staff may be expelled from the program without tuition refund or right of appeal, at the discretion of the primary course teacher. They may also be barred from future training opportunities.
For general concerns or complaints, please reach out directly to your primary course teacher. For issues that arise during live clinical trainings, communicate with the teaching assistants or the primary teacher on site. Your feedback helps us maintain a supportive learning environment for everyone.
Guidelines for Learning New Skills
Learning new clinical skills requires knowledge, care, and common sense. Please follow these guidelines to ensure a safe and effective experience for everyone.
- Skill Level and Supervision. Instructors demonstrate advanced clinical skills before student practice begins. Always work within your current skill level and do not attempt new techniques without proper training and direct supervision.
- Course Objectives. Foundations Level I focuses on basic skills for common primary care issues. It does not cover advanced or complex conditions, which are addressed in Level II Advanced Training. Level I students should not apply their training to these conditions or represent themselves as qualified to treat them. Students with prior experience in such areas may continue using those existing techniques.
- Safety Precautions. Pneumothorax is a serious complication associated with acupuncture. Exercise particular caution when working in sensitive areas such as the chest, diaphragm, shoulder, and neck. Instructors and teaching assistants monitor student treatments closely — remain attentive and proceed carefully at all times.
- Safe Learning Environment. Instructors and teaching assistants work to maintain a safe environment, though it is not always possible to monitor every interaction. Prioritize your own well-being during training. You have the right to decline any clinical exercise or treatment without explanation or apology. Regular rest and self-monitoring are encouraged.
- Collaborative Learning. Clinical training involves working closely with peers. Students may occasionally cause unintentional discomfort during practice, such as palpating too deeply. Offering constructive, respectful feedback helps everyone improve.
- Respect and Consent. Always ask permission before examining another student or patient. Use proper draping consistently to maintain a respectful and professional environment at all times.
Professionalism
Students agree to conduct themselves professionally, respectfully, and safely at all times. The instructor may remove a student from any class for unprofessional, disrespectful, or unsafe behavior without prior warning. Such determinations are made solely at the instructor’s discretion and are not subject to review or appeal. Students removed for these reasons are not eligible for a refund.
Class Safety
- Students are responsible for their own physical and emotional well-being. If at any point an exercise feels uncomfortable, unsafe, or produces an adverse reaction, the student should withdraw from that activity and notify the attending instructor.
- Students will not participate in activities they believe threaten their personal safety, or in exercises and lectures they find invasive or uncomfortable. Students who feel tired or ill should excuse themselves, notify the instructor, and refrain from further participation.
- Students agree not to perform any technique observed in a clinical demonstration until it has been formally demonstrated and reviewed by the instructor.
- Students agree not to perform treatments between the seventh cervical vertebra (C7) and the second lumbar vertebra (L2), in the thorax, or in the axilla unless specifically directed by the instructor. Acupuncture needles must be properly accounted for and disposed of in an approved sharps container.
- Apricot Grove Educational Services, LLC, Dr. Edward Neal MD, and all associated owners, instructors, employees, contractors, and third parties assume no liability for a student’s enrollment in courses or use of this website (neijingstudies.com). No warranties, express or implied, are made regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of any information contained in course materials or on this website.
- By enrolling in any course offered by Apricot Grove Educational Services, LLC, or by using this website, students agree that all associated parties are not liable for any decision made, action taken, or action not taken as a result of the information or practices presented herein.
Supporting Your Journey
We understand that life is unpredictable. Students who encounter a significant challenge — such as a medical illness, family difficulty, or sudden financial hardship — may be eligible for a leave of absence with instructor approval. Students granted a leave may resume their studies at the same point in a future calendar year, subject to available space.
Course Prerequisites
Neijing Nature-Based Medicine: 2-Year Postgraduate Mentorship Training
No prerequisites are required for the 2-Year Postgraduate Mentorship Training or the Wisdom of the Cosmos online trainings.
Eligibility for Clinical Skills Training
To participate in clinical skills training during Clinical Practicums, students must meet one of the following requirements:
- Hold a current medical license in their local area (where applicable), or
- Be currently enrolled in a recognized training program.
Acceptable medical licenses and training programs include:
- Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc)
- Medical Doctor (MD)
- Physician Assistant (PA) or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Naturopathic Physician
- Chiropractor
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- Licensed Professional Body Worker
Neijing Nature-Based Medicine Advanced Training
Eligibility for the Advanced Training requires successful completion of the full Neijing Nature-Based Medicine: 2-Year Postgraduate Mentorship Training (Online Lecture Series and all 3 Clinical Practicums). Due to the clinical nature of the Advanced Training, applicants must hold a current medical license. Acceptable licenses include: LAc, MD, PA/FNP, and RN.
Course Materials & Copyright
Course materials are provided exclusively for personal study. We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, which includes any use of course ideas or written content without proper attribution.
Personal Use Only
Written permission from the course instructor is required before using course materials for any teaching, research, or publication purpose.
Unauthorized Use Prohibited
Sharing, copying, broadcasting, or reproducing course materials in any form — including publications, media, research, or teaching — without prior written authorization is strictly prohibited. Violations may result in immediate dismissal without tuition refund and may lead to legal action. Access to course lectures and materials is reserved for officially enrolled students who are current on tuition payments.
Payment & Refund Policy
By enrolling in any course offered by Apricot Grove Educational Services, LLC, students agree to the following payment and refund terms.
The Payment Plan includes a 2% administrative fee and is structured as follows: 5 equal installments for the NNBM Full Program or Online Lecture Series, and 2 equal installments for Wisdom of the Cosmos. Your first installment is due at registration, with remaining payments charged automatically every 90 days to the card used at checkout. Explore the 2026/28 Payment Plan schedule below:
| Tuition | Service Charge 2% Administrative Fee | 5 Installments 1st payment + 4 x every 3 months | 2 Installments 1st payment + 3 months after | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NNBM 2-Year Full Program | ||||
| Professional | $14,800 | $296.00 | $3019.20 | — |
| Student/First 2 Years of Practice | $11,000 | $220.00 | $2244.00 | — |
| NNBM 2-Year Online Lecture Series | — | |||
| Professional | $7,400 | $148.00 | $1509.60 | — |
| Student/First 2 Years of Practice | $5,700 | $114.00 | $1,162.80 | — |
| Returning Student | $4,200 | $84.00 | $856.80 | — |
| Wisdom of the Cosmos | ||||
| Professional | $1,475 | $29.50 | — | $752.25 |
| Student/First 2 Years of Practice | $875 | $17.50 | — | $446.25 |
| Audit | $675 | $13.50 | — | $344.25 |
Online Trainings
- First Payment: The first installment (on a payment plan) or payment in full is due at the time of acceptance. A $350 enrollment fee is non-refundable in all cases.
- 60 or more days before the first class: Full tuition, less the enrollment fee, may be refunded.
- 45 days before the first class: 75% of tuition, less the enrollment fee, may be refunded.
- Fewer than 21 days before the first class: No refund is given.
If you enroll in a payment plan and withdraw within the refund window, you remain responsible for any outstanding balance, less the applicable refund amount.
In-Person Trainings
Due to the fixed costs of in-person events, a separate refund schedule applies.
- First Payment: The first installment (on a payment plan) or payment in full is due at registration. A $500 enrollment fee is non-refundable in all cases.
- 45 or more days before the first class: 75% of tuition, less the enrollment fee, may be refunded.
- Fewer than 45 days before the first class: No refund is given.
Tuition for in-person training does not include room, board, or travel costs.
