Acupuncturists

Career summary

Acupuncturists may also be called East Asian Medicine Practitioners.

Acupuncturists gather information from each patient about their general health and lifestyle. They ask patients about their medical history. They also do a physical examination.

Oriental medicine traditions are used to make a diagnosis. A treatment plan is developed for each patient. Acupuncture treatment is used to stimulate specific parts of the body. Acupuncturists see each patient regularly and make changes to the treatment plan as needed. Acupuncturists maintain and follow standard safety, environmental, and infection control standards.

Tools used in acupuncture include:

• Needles
• Heat or cold therapy
• Herbal formulas
• Nutritional supplements

Acupuncturists talk to patients about good health practices such as:

• Meditation
• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Relaxation techniques

Acupuncturists keep detailed records about the treatment they provide to each patient and the patient's prognosis. They sometimes make referrals to other health care providers.

Some acupuncturists work in private practice and oversee the business aspects of running an office. This may include hiring staff, ordering supplies, and billing insurance.

Related careers

This career is part of the Health Science cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Chiropractors
• Massage Therapists
• Naturopathic Physicians
• Physical Therapists
• Physician Assistants

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to acupuncturists.

• Insert needles to provide treatment.
• Maintain and follow quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and standards.
• Identify the precise locations on a patient's body to administer treatment.
• Collect medical histories and general health information from patients.
• Analyze physical findings and medical histories to make diagnoses. Develop individual treatment plans.
• Treat patients using tools such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, and supplements.
• Educate patients on meditations, stretching, exercise, and nutrition.
• Formulate specific herbal supplements. Dispense herbal formulas and educate patients on correct dosages.
• Use Western medical treatments where necessary. Refer to medical doctors for conditions not treatable by oriental medicine.
• Adhere to local, state, and federal laws.
• Maintain detailed and complete records.
• Keep skills and knowledge up to date.

Common work activities

Acupuncturists perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Assist and care for others
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Perform for or work with the public
• Document and record information
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Think creatively
• Develop goals and strategies
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Process information
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Analyze data or information
• Provide advice and consultation to others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, acupuncturists:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high degree of social interaction. They talk with patients and medical staff throughout the day.
• Communicate daily by telephone, e-mail, and in person. They also write letters and memos, but less often.
• Are somewhat responsible for the health and safety of their patients.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by assistants and other medical staff.
• Often work as part of a larger medical team.

Physical work conditions

• Almost always work indoors.
• Work very near patients. They must come into close physical contact to properly examine patients and administer treatments.
• Are regularly exposed to patients' diseases and infections.

Work performance

• Must be very exact and accurate when performing the job. Errors could harm patients.

Hours/travel

• Usually work a 40-hour week, although longer hours are not uncommon.
• May work evenings or weekends to better serve patients.
• May set their own hours, especially if operating a solo practice.

Physical demands

Acupuncturists frequently:

• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Stand for long periods of time.

It is important for acupuncturists to be able to:

• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for acupuncturists to be able to:

• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.

Skills and abilities

Acupuncturists need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
• Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Other programs of study to consider

• Homeopathic Medicine
• Naturopathic Medicine
• Pre-Medicine

Training

To work as an acupuncturist, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree; and
• graduate from an accredited acupuncture school.

Education after high school

To become a licensed acupuncturist, you must complete an acupuncture program. Acupuncture programs grant Master of Oriental Medicine (MOM) and Doctor of Oriental Medicine (DOM) degrees.

When studying oriental anatomy, you learn about energy meridians and acu-points along the meridians. You also learn which points are useful for the treatment of various illnesses and imbalances. Gradually, students focus more on clinical practices including diagnosis through observation, evaluating pulses, and interviewing patients about symptoms and lifestyle practices.

Before entering acupuncture school, most students earn a bachelor's degree. If you earn a liberal arts degree, be sure to take courses in anatomy, biology, and chemistry.

On-the-job training

While in acupuncture school, you spend much of the last year working in a clinical setting. Clinical work emphasizes diagnosing and treating patients with acupuncture and herbal medicines.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum  may be different from your state's graduation requirements . You need a very strong background in math and science to become a doctor. Take as many math and science courses as you can.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Health Education
• Introduction to Health Care
• Nursing
• Safety and First Aid

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Many acupuncturists are self-employed. Others work in small group practices. When looking for practice partners or hiring salaried employees, acupuncturists prefer people who get along well with others and share a similar philosophy about treating patients. To build a practice, acupuncturists must be understanding and demonstrate a desire to help others. They also must be organized and able to work independently.

Tips

Talk with people who work in this occupation. Do volunteer work in a clinic or acupuncturist's office. The desire to help people feel better is important.

Costs to workers

Many acupuncturists also join professional associations, which may have annual dues. Some acupuncturists share office space with other health professionals, such as chiropractors, which can reduce operating expenses such as office staff and equipment and rent.

Licensing/certification

Acupuncturists must be licensed to practice in the State of Washington. The professional name of acupuncturists was recently changed by state law to East Asian Medicine Practitioners (EAMP). This law also clarified the scope of practice for this profession. However, workers may still call themselves acupuncturists or licensed acupuncturists.

Licensing requirements include:

• 45-quarter credits or 450 hours of instruction in basic sciences;
• 75-quarter credits or 750 hours of instruction in East Asian medicine sciences;
• 500 hours of supervised clinical training, of which 100 hours must consist of observation which includes case presentation and discussion;
• completion of a background information form;
• passing the National Commission for Certification of Acupuncturists and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) exam which consists of three modules (Foundations of Oriental Medicine, Biomedicine, and a point location test), and a clean needle technique course;
• completion of seven clock hours of AIDS training; and
• current certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

The application fee is $109 and the annual renewal fee is $205.

#updated fees from website 2/8/11 lh.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Department of Health
East Asian Medicine Practitioner Program 
PO Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7877
360.236.4700

#No changes to this section 1/25/16 cj. no changes 1/17/17 lh, or 1/29/18 cj. no CE reqs, all else fine 4/15/19 lh

Wages

Earnings are based on the years of experience and number of hours worked. The acupuncturist's skill and personality also affect earnings.

Acupuncturists who work in a group practice may receive benefits such as paid vacation and health insurance.

National wage information is not available specifically for acupuncturists. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other health diagnosing and treating practitioners."

Employment and outlook

Washington employment

According to licensing information from the State of Washington at the time this career was updated, there are 1,440 licensed acupuncturists actively licensed in Washington. Most acupuncturists are self-employed.

#No employment info available 05.15 sd Hiding the no state specific info statement for now since we do cite a licensing number, 2/11/14 cj.

#Sent email for licensing # to main DOH cust svc address 1/31/12 cj. TK rec'd call with updated figure (2/3/12) of 1,258 (was 1,183). Cj. Waiting for response to request lh updated 8/13/13. Sent lic # request 1/30; rec'd new #1,262 (was 1,298) 2/3/14 cj. Received new lic data (1,408; was 1,262) from Vicki Brown (Vicki.Brown@DOH.WA.GOV) 1/26/16 cj. Sent email to gen licensing address 1/29/18; rec'd mail from Cara Bryant, who said fwd request to Public Disclosure ofc; ended up getting new # from Vicki 1/31/18 cj.

Washington outlook

#Currently, there is no specific statewide outlook information available for acupuncturists. However, this occupation is part of the larger group called "all other health diagnosing and treating practitioners.”

#Between 2014 and 2024, it is estimated that for all other health diagnosing and treating practitioners there will be 49 openings annually due to new positions and 52 openings from workers leaving this career.

#No outlook info available; updated general outlook stmt 05.16 sd

In Washington, the number of licenses for acupuncturists has usually increased each year. Growth in this occupation is expected to continue.

State law requires that certain types of alternative medicine, including acupuncture, be covered by insurance companies based in Washington. This, along with growing public awareness and increasing mainstream medical acceptance of acupuncture treatment, is expected to create more demand for this occupation. More people may seek acupuncture as an additional form of treatment since it lacks the dangerous side effects of some types of conventional medicine.

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Private group practices
• Hospitals

National outlook

Demand for this occupation is growing. Natural and alternative approaches to staying healthy are gaining public acceptance and interest in the US. Even with greater acceptance from patients and health insurance companies, the occupation is small. Insurance companies are beginning to cover alternative medical practices. This is because preventive medicine saves money. As people learn to rely more upon healthy lifestyles and natural healing, acupuncture becomes more popular.

Employment and outlook information is not available specifically for acupuncturists. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other health diagnosing and treating practitioners."

Other resources

Accreditation Commission for Homeopathic Education in North America 

American Academy of Medical Acupuncture 
2512 Artesia Boulevard, Suite 200
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
310.379.8261

American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 
PO Box 96503, #44114
Washington, DC 20090-6503
866.455.7999

Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 

Explore Health Careers: Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine Practitioner 

Herbal Medicine: An Alternative and Complementary Resource Guide 

National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 
2025 M Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
888.381.1140

Washington East Asian Medicine Association 
2311 N. 45th St. #337
Seattle, WA 98103
206.834.6706

References

Career cluster

• Health Science

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Acupuncturists (29-1199.01) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupation

• Acupuncturist (079.271-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Realistic/Investigative

COPSystem

• Service Professional