Frequently Asked Questions & Resources for Patients

Question: Where can I find a licensed acupuncturist in my area?
Answer: Go to Find an Acupuncturist.

Question: How long has a licensed acupuncturist been to school?
Answer: A licensed acupuncturist has completed a three to four year professional training in acupuncture resulting in a Masters Degree. 

Question: What does an acupuncture school’s curriculum consist of?
Answer: A professional curriculum consists of Chinese medicine theory, diagnosis and treatment techniques in acupuncture and related studies.    This program includes both theory and hands on clinical practice. 

Question: Do Acupuncture programs include any biomedicine?
Answer:  Most programs in NY State include medical terminology, biology, the study of the biomedical organs/systems and how they work in a biomedical framework, muscles and bones, and much more. 

Question: Does an Acupuncture Curriculum include the rotations that are similar to a doctor’s education, where the practitioner gets to treat patients under supervision?
Answer: The final year of an acupuncture program is spent treating patients under close supervision by a licensed acupuncturist. 

Question: Do Acupuncturists have board exams like a nurse or nurse practitioner does?
Answer: Yes, they have several.  They cannot apply for their state license to practice until they pass these exams.

Question: How are acupuncturists regulated?  Answer: After they graduate and pass their board exams they apply for state licensure, which they must renew every few years. 

Question: Is acupuncture safe?
Answer: Acupuncture is generally considered to be safe when done by a trained professional. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates acupuncture needles and restricts their use to licensed practitioners. The FDA requires acupuncture needles to be sterile, nontoxic, and labeled for single use.