Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Acupuncture is an ancient Oriental system of medicine that stimulates the body's ability to balance and heal itself by the insertion of thin, sterile needles at specific points along the body's meridian system. Qi is the life force that flows along the meridians between acupuncture points. Good health results when qi flows freely along these meridians; disease develops where qi stagnates or is blocked. Oriental medicine (also called Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM) covers a wide range of treatments including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary recommendations, tuina and other specialized therapies. Read "Ask the Acupuncturist" to learn what to expect during your first acupuncture treatment and what you should look for in choosing an acupuncturist. See how Vetrans are benefiting from acupuncture treatments through Acupuncturist Without Borders . Listees in this category must be licensed acupuncturists (LicAc or DAc). See additional resources, licensing and training info
See also: Acupressure , Herbs & Herbalists , Integrative Holistic Medicine , Integrative Medicine (MD) , Naturopathic Physicians , Osteopathic Medicine , Physicians , Shiatsu , Tibetan Medicine
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) establishes, assesses and promotes recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. NCCAOM certification (www.nccaom.org ) indicates a practitioner has met national standards. All six New England states require acupuncturists to pass the NCCAOM examinations in acupuncture in order to become a licensed acupuncturist. Only graduates of ACAOM (Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) accredited schools, which are recognized by the US Department of Education and offer 3-4 year courses of study, are eligible to take the NCCAOM exam. Five New England states recognize LAc (Licensed Acupuncturist) and RI recognizes DAc (Doctor of Acupuncture) as qualified acupuncturists who have met these criteria.
In all six New England states, practitioners operating under an already existing health care license (such as MD, DO and others) are not required to fulfill the complete educational and clinical requirements of a licensed acupuncturist, yet they may still be allowed to practice acupuncture; see state specifics below. Many extended courses of study are available and continuing education classes are required for licensed acupuncturists to maintain national certification with NCCAOM. Always ask your practitioner about his or her training, experience and continuing education. Only those with the title of Licensed Acupuncturist or Doctor of Acupuncture (in RI), meet the minimum competency standards set forth by the state.
Connecticut — 1350 hours of training including 500 hours of clinical. Medical doctors, chiropractors, dentists, physical therapists, podiatrists, homeopaths, naturopaths, optometrists and veterinarians may practice acupuncture without any specific acupuncture training.
Maine — 1000 hours of didactic plus 300 hours of clinical. Medical doctors and osteopaths may practice acupuncture without any specific acupuncture training. Chiropractors must have at least 200 hours of board approved training in order to practice acupuncture.
Massachusetts — 1905 clinical/didactic hours combined including 100 hours of clinic with sole responsibility for diagnosis and treatment of patients, 30 hours of herbal training. Medical doctors and osteopaths may practice acupuncture without any specific acupuncture training.
New Hampshire — ACAOM or licensing board approved training, including anatomy and physiology. Medical doctors and osteopaths may practice acupuncture without any specific acupuncture training. Licensed naturopathic doctors who take 500 hours of acupuncture training and pass the NPLEX exam section on acupuncture can become specially certified by the naturopathic board to practice acupuncture. For more specifics visit
www.nh.gov/acupuncture .
Rhode Island — Minimum of 2500 hours of training. Medical doctors and osteopaths must have at least 300 hours of acupuncture training to practice acupuncture.
Vermont — 3-year program including 800 hours of clinical. Medical doctors, chiropractors and osteopaths may practice acupuncture without any specific acupuncture training.
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