Acupuncture

Duties and Responsibilities:

        Acupuncture professionals are trained to treat the entire individual rather than the specific illness or condition. They take into account a patient's physical, mental and emotional condition in order to determine the proper course of treatment. In addition to providing acupuncture therapy, practitioners help their patients achieve balance and wellness in their everyday lives.

Salary: $37,642+

Education:

            Most licensed acupuncturists hold master's degrees or post-baccalaureate certificates from schools accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. As the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) explain, most programs require 1,500-2,000 hours of acupuncture training and take 3-4 years to complete. Graduates must pass the certification exam offered by NCCAOM and fulfill any additional state licensing requirements. Acupuncture regulations vary state by state, according to the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Most states have licensing or continuing education requirements, including certification by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Seven states (Alabama, Delaware, Kansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota) allow only medical doctors, osteopaths and chiropractors to perform acupuncture, while at least two states (Louisiana and Michigan) require acupuncture professionals to treat patients under the supervision of doctors or osteopaths.

Reflection:

I don’t think I would like to be one simply because I’m scared of messing up and I’ve also seen in training and stuff that u have to stick needles in places and I don’t feel comfortable with doing that in particular. All im afraid of is hurting someone during a session. And I bet the people who do this for a living have a lot of guts and confidence to do something like this.