Becoming a Professional Acupuncture Therapist

Written by: American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Becoming an acupuncturist is a different process from any other health administration degree. The practice is also different from a traditional medical doctor, who uses prescription medication to treat the symptoms of a patient. An acupuncturist is still considered part of the alternative medicine field, but they are taught how to read a patient’s symptoms based on Western medical practices. There are numerous benefits to acupuncture therapy, and the field of doctors administering acupuncture is growing. If you want a fulfilling career helping people with chronic pain, acupuncture therapy can be a good choice.

Receive Therapy

One of the most important steps you can take is to actually receive therapy. You need to experience what the patient goes through, and that should help you get a feel for the practice. Acupuncture is most commonly used to alleviate chronic back pain, but patients use it for headaches and stomach problems too. Be sure to mention to your therapist that you are interested in pursuing a degree in acupuncture.

Talk with Providers

Talk with people who hold a Holistic medicine degree, and ask them about their experiences. Graduates usually end up working for themselves, so be sure to ask about the practice of managing a doctor’s office. It’s important to know how they get their new business, how often customers return, and ask about general experiences as well. These graduates are usually passionate about the practice and happy to share information with you.

Get a Degree

To get a degree in acupuncture, you should attend a school of natural healing. There, you will learn techniques that have been passed down since the days of ancient China. You will also learn how to interpret a patient’s symptoms based on Western medical knowledge, and how to administer care for a patient. You will learn which pressure points are effective at relieving tension in the body, and you will be able to use needles to relieve that pressure.

Find a Place to Practice

You have to be sure that there is demand for your work wherever you decide to set up a practice. You may not have much luck in a smaller town with a small hospital, but in a bigger city you can find patients more willing to try alternative medicine. The important thing is to remember that you practice legitimate medicine. When you advertise, mention concrete benefits to your service and point out ways that patients will benefit from your work.