To begin with, if you're a prospective student you'll want to learn how and where you can earn a certificate or degree in acupuncture, where the best acupuncture schools are and what it's like to work in the field of acupuncture. Besides licensing you may also want to be certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. With this certification you can use the title Diplomate of Acupuncture. The professional abbreviation is Dipl.Ac. An acupuncture practice can be a career you can enjoy for a lifetime.
Acupuncture schools that offer courses in traditional Chinese medicine often include other segments of traditional medicine, such as anatomy, body therapy, massage therapy, and various sciences. It's important to get a total picture of all the treatments offered by the acupuncture schools so you acquire the necessary skills to be well-rounded and well-versed for your patients. First of all you'll want to find out what school and program options are in your area.
For naturopathy schools that offer acupuncture programs see the established List of Accredited Natural Medicine Colleges in North America. States such as California have quite a few acupuncture schools to choose from, while Wisconsin has only one school and some states have none at all. The ACAOM (Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) is the national accrediting agency and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit Master's-level programs in the acupuncture and Oriental medicine professions, so make sure the school you're considering has this accreditation.
Acupuncture schools usually offer the science and philosophy of acupuncture too. You can call each school you're considering and ask to speak to a recruiting counselor to find out what is the student-to-teacher ratio is. Try to get smaller classes. Check to see if your home state is on the national list of about 50 acupuncture schools that have accredited programs.
Acupuncture programs in acupuncture schools are expensive and usually require three years or so of course work. Some of the programs can be up to five years. One good textbook to review in advance of your decision is: "The Foundations of Chinese Medicine" a comprehensive text for acupuncturists and herbalists by Maciocia. In order to qualify for federal assistance be sure to enroll in a school that's accredited by the ACAOM.
And if you're visiting an acupuncture clinic as a patient to learn more about acupuncture, make sure to ask about any drawbacks that might go along with an acupuncture career. Acupuncture is particularly effective at relieving or treating chronic muscle pain, stress, and PMS just to name a few symptoms. Before you commit to learning about any alternative medical technique, be aware that some of them may not have been scientifically evaluated.
Before you commit to any acupuncture school or to any acupuncture training you might want to purchase "Fundamentals of Chinese Acupuncture" by Ellis, Wiseman, and Bosson. This text book is used in many acupuncture schools and acupuncture programs and will give you an idea if you want to pursue a career in acupuncture. Note that each state and each discipline has its own strict rules about how alternative medicine practitioners are to be professionally licensed.
The economic burden can be lessened with financial aid in a variety of forms. If you need financial aid try contacting some of your local philanthropic organizations and health organizations to see if they know of any scholarships that are still available. Sometimes these organizations have some scholarship money that was unused and will accept an application for it. Talk to the financial aid officers at the school you have in mind and see what suggestions they have for grants, scholarships and federal aid.
There is always federal money available for education. There is money set aside for online degree programs also. Check and see if your school has any of its classes available online and if so then apply for these funds. There are also education loans and student loans available if you're unable to get any full or partial scholarships or grants.
Our advanced medicine has proven the effectiveness of many treatments that have been practiced in other countries for centuries and as a result, more and more insurance companies are covering alternative treatments such as acupuncture. Make sure to learn about your state's licensing requirements for acupuncturists before you do anything. After graduation from an acupuncture school or program and as a licensed acupuncturist you could choose to have a cosmetic acupuncture or facial acupuncture practice or even run a veterinary acupuncture clinic.
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Lice
By: nagalie | 22-07-2008
I am so grossed out, tired, and aggrivated. I need help. I need some feedback. To begin with, I'm an ultra clean person but I think I have lice. I am not sure. for a week now I have been itching like crazy but didn't find anything until today. I can never find anything at will. Nothing in the seems of my clothes. I only feel them. anyway, today I found on my arm ( think it fell from my head) what I now know looks like lice according to pictures i've seen. It had 6 legs was a transparent brown exept for the dark insides of its body. It was about the size of the period at the end of this sentence but a bit larger including it's legs...(Sooo sorry that you are getting this gross info but it's quite necessary for the process of identifying my problem.) Anyway, I am pretty sure it is lice but the question i want to ask now is what kind? If it is body lice it should be treated different from head lice I think. I know you can get rid of head lice with olive oil but body lice? Here are my symptoms... I am 90% sure I got this from my dog who was in some tall grass the other day. I saw her itching intensely but shes never had any bites before so I didnt think about it. I thought it was allergies and gave her a benedryl. THEN I started itching along with her. I know its not fleas. I don't think its scabies because my bites dont run in lines or around the webbing of my fingers. Not only that but scabies dont look like lice from what I know. Now, I can't tell if it is head or body lice because of this, they are both on my head and on my body. I even feel them in my eyelashes. I have them in my nether regions...and I've never had sex.lol I have bites that look like pimples all spread out on my legs...nether region...round my belly button, on my behind, back and neck. None on my chest or face thank God for that. But head lice are supposed to remain on the head for all I know and body lice on the body. I even feel itchy in my ears. I can barely sleep. Someone help me so I can search for a remedy pleeease. If you have a remedy for either please share it with me . Thanks
Losing weight, not friends
By: Coast-to-Coast | 21-07-2008
If I have gained weight and want to lose it what is the best way for me to find support for that? If I can't just do what I want to do because I have others to think about and have to work with them too, then how do I motivate them to get active and stop eating so much? Do you find that your weight and motivation to watch your weight varies by what you are doing? Thanks for all the good answers, I really am not sure how this works, guess I will be finding out.
What is the link between autism and vaccines? what ...
By: vtoire | 21-07-2008
What is the link between autism and vaccines? what has changed in vaccines from 30 years ago?
Manny pacquiao next fight?
By: newsblogo | 19-07-2008
manny will should face ricky hatton or nate campbell for a big money and for a history as a legend then retire, manny should not wait that somebody will took his place as a number 1 pound for pound.
manny pacquiao next fight
How does one get information from Ezra LeMarpeh in ...
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How does one get information from Ezra LeMarpeh in regard to their referral sevices? If I have Parkinson's Disease, will they tell me who to go to for the latest treatment and what it is?
"I never said I was better"
By: 4anewu | 19-07-2008
Why does my mother keep such hostility going on between my sister and I? Are there numerous individuals who think the same? I have always believed you should never sit and settle for a thing. The world could be yours if you are prepared education is first, then job,marriage, house, oh yeah then kids. She judges me against my sister because I choose not to take advantage of the govenmental system nor get down on my hands and knees digging in the dirt to pull garden weeds. And adding my own roofing on my house, and fixing my own plumbing a screwing it up just to save a penny or two. She claims I can teach myself this way and save some money. I think you're wasting more money practicing instead of just hiring a professional with warranty.
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