How to become an Acupuncturist

[Simbi Laveau]

http://www.lvrj.com/health/sticking-point-189601281.html

For anyone who is unsure of just how much schooling an Acupuncturist gets in the USA ,here it all is,in black and white.

You must have a previous bachelor's degree . You must have all the same pre requisite needed for most other medical post graduate work .

You can do four to six years ,depending upon wether or not you also do Chinese herbs .

My school did herbs and acu in a five year program when I went .

You graduate with your masters,which should be doctorate ,but the AMA in the USA won't allow it .

Some states allow you to call yourself an OMD ,some do not.

It's just another modality of MEDICINE .

Which takes years of study and class and clinic hours.

We do many hours integrated into a western hospital setting as well .

We must also take Board exams ,just like any other doctor in the USA .

It consists of point location ,the national exams,the state exams ,an OSHA portion ,and clean needle technique .

You must pass all five with at least a 75 ,and complete all your clinic hours ,before you are licensed .

Our clinic hours are in the 100s.

Each state is different in clinic hours requirements.

People study for months for the boards ,just like western medical school .

Our tests and upkeep of our license ,is the most expensive in any medical field ,despite the fact we have the lowest instance of any kind of death or injury to a patient ,and we willingly go for continuing medical education ,because of so many things coming out of China Japan Korea and even Vietnam ,which isn't known in the west .

A huge portion of us have a western medical background of some kind ,so we have a clue how to integrate and correspond a western diagnosis to an eastern one .

When you go to see a western medical doctor ,who also does acupuncture ,theyve done a three weekend course.Learn none of the theory ,dont know proper point location ,proper needle insertion ,and yet are allowed to charge 200$ ,for the same treatment an Acupuncturist can do, 10,000 times better,but can only charge 40$.,

Insurance reimbursement for acupuncture,is a joke .For an acupuncturist anyway,as MDs make a fortune doing it BADLY.

The reason so many people have bad experiences with acupuncture,is because they think a western MD is safer,so they go to an MD ,who did the 3 weekend class,JUST TO MAKE MONEY .Because they,unlike an actual acupuncturist ,do not care if the treatment works .

They ,unlike us,only do it for the money .

I've had those guys in my classes ,laughing at all the money they will make doing it,while they flirted with the girls,and learned nothing of what the class was about .

They also are the one who make the most mistakes and puncture lungs and bladders,because they have no concept of how to use an acupuncture needle properly .

We take 5 years to make sure we do it right

ahem .............

Edited February 5, 2013 by Simbi Laveau

[Simbi Laveau]

Standards for Acus in the USA .From the NCCAOM website .

Trends in Oriental Medicine The NCCAOM current website on licensure and NCAOM board certification in the various states as well as their map of states that include Chinese herbs in the scope of practice at 2/2/13 show the following:

45 states have Acupuncture Practice Acts 25 of these states require NCCAOM certification for licensure 18 states that do not require NCCAOM certification do require passing at least the Foundations of AOM and the Acupuncture Examination Modules and thus use these scores in lieu of, or in addition to, their own state tests; 2 states of these 18 do not require the Point Location Module; 31 states require passing the Biomedicine Module for state licensure 8 states require passing the Chinese Herbology module and only one of these states, Nevada, requires all licensed Doctors of Oriental Medicine to become certified in Chinese Herbology with the NCCAOM California does not require or use any NCCAOM modules for licensure but does require all licensed acupuncturists to pass a state Chinese herbology examination as part of licensure Florida, which requires all licensed Acupuncture Physicians to be trained in Chinese Herbology does not require NCCAOM certification at ball, nor does it require passing the NCCAOM Chinese Herbology Examination Most of the 8 states that require the NCCAOM Chinese Herbology Examination only require this of those licensed acupuncturists who wish to practice Chinese Herbology but not for licensure

From Their map of states that include Chinese Herbs in the scope of practice for acupuncturists, the NCCAOM reports an increasing trend to do so as follows:

30 states include Chinese herbs in the scope of LAcs Of those, 8 require the NCCAOM examination as stated above 4 additional states are listed as working on adding Chinese Herbology examination and /or regulation including NYS (which appears to be on hold) The state of Florida is listed as including herbs in the scope of practice and will be requiring the Chinese Herbology Exam of NCCAOM

[CrimsonKing]

I have been thinking about going into alternative medicine,giving myself till summertime to decide if i want to try it or go back and finish what i started and become a paramedic.

[Simbi Laveau]

I have been thinking about going into alternative medicine,giving myself till summertime to decide if i want to try it or go back and finish what i started and become a paramedic.

What state are you in ? Being a paramedic can be very rewarding ,but if I had it to do over again ,I would have gone right to Acupuncture school .

As a NYC medic ,we are crapped on,not appreciated.Not by the public ,or the people in charge of us . Then after the WTC,obviously not regarded as worthy of being taken care of,after we call went above and beyond for our cities people .

We are the first ones they cry for when the poopie goes down,and the last ones given help or consideration in the aftermath .

Medics are more respected outside of nyc in ny experience ,but its still a very hard job .

I have numerous injuries and pain ,from lifting and various other fun activities you do on the job .

Edited February 8, 2013 by Simbi Laveau