Know the Difference Between Acupuncture
Training and Education
The practice of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is receiving unprecedented publicity in this
country, and acupuncture is being offered by a variety of health
care practitioners calling themselves acupuncturists or performing acupuncture.
Consequently, the general public may be confused over the qualifications of those providing this
service.
The only profession that can actually call themselves acupuncturists are those
that
have attended, graduated and passed the rigorous examinations in order to receive the
degree (L.Ac. or Dipl. Ac.).
In most states such as Utah, the only profession that can use the title
"acupuncturists" are those that have the degrees. (L.Ac. or Dipl. Ac.).
In some states, (such as Utah) chiropractors are allowed to practice clinical
acupuncture with minimal training.
The educational programs are usually a mere 100 hours.
See Link:
Utah Chiropractors - Acupuncture Training and
Education
See
Link: IAMA - Acupuncture Training and
Education
The American Association of Medical Acupuncturists (AAMA) recommends a
program of only 220 to 300 hours of study for what it terms "medical acupuncture" for medical doctors.
See Link: Medical - Acupuncture Training
and Education
Note
The article below will interest you, in reviewing the education and clinical
training
or lack of, that other health care professionals have in regards to their training in
acupuncture.
I chose these 3 associations above, since they are major associations in training other
health care professionals in acupuncture.
Nationally accredited acupuncture schools provide a minimum of 1,905 hours of training in
their educational programs for acupuncture and a minimum of 2175 hours in their programs of Oriental
medicine.
See
Link:
Dr. Hardy's Acupuncture Training and
Education
These hours also constitute the educational requirements for the licensing
of Acupuncturists in most states.
The American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM) has adopted the
position that anyone practicing acupuncture without certification as a Diplomate in Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.) from
the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), or an equivalent state
license as an Acupuncturist, practices below the prevailing standards of minimum competency for acupuncture.
In
speaking to other healthcare providers (Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Naturopaths, etc.) regarding this topic of
administrating acupuncture treatment, several professionals feel that performing acupuncture is not in their scope
of practice due to the higher standards of education and clinical training that an acupuncturist must
study.
The other set of healthcare providers (Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Physical
Therapists, etc.) who do practice acupuncture, feel they have this right to perform acupuncture because the
education they received may have included more hours of education in their perspective fields such as medical
school, chiropractic school and/or osteopathic school than the amount of hours that acupuncturists receive in their
perspective field.
Again this is comparing oranges to apples.
I point out how the education and clinical training of both professions are completely and vastly
different than the training an acupuncturist undergoes.
These professional’s (Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Naturopaths, etc.) also like to say they
are performing medical acupuncture, clinical acupuncture, meridian acupuncture, scientific acupuncture,
etc.
By saying this, they feel they are now entitled to do acupuncture.
I feel that since I have been educated and received degrees in both systems of health care
(chiropractic & acupuncture), it is my opinion, that unless a healthcare professional has received adequate
training in acupuncture it poses health risk’s as well as either success or failure of the clinical outcome of the
acupuncture treatment.
The question to ask yourself is, do I want a healthcare professional performing acupuncture on
myself and/or my loved ones who has not been adequately trained.
To find a qualified
Licensed Acupuncturist, contact:
http://www.nccaom.org/find-a-nccaom-certified-practitioner
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