Slowly and steadily the use of Chinese medicine and acupuncture is gaining popularity in all parts of the world. Since President Nixon made his historical visit to China in 1972 and effectively opened the door from East to West, America has been undergoing an acupuncture craze. Acupuncture is a vital component of the traditional Chinese medical system, wherein needles are inserted into the skin and underlying tissues, to treat an illness. A very ancient art, acupuncture has gained wide popularity as an alternative medicine over the past forty years. With such encouraging and promising results, the use of acupuncture has found a space not only in Chinese medical system and the developing countries, but also in developed nations like the US. To spread this knowledge and education in the field of acupuncture, a number of acupuncture schools have opened up in different countries. The acupuncture schools aim at educating students; training them to be healers in the art, science and philosophy of acupuncture; and to be instructed in herbal and Oriental medicine. The number of acupuncture schools in the United States has grown at a high rate since the creation of the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) in 1982. Acupuncture schools offer a variety of graduate and undergraduate programs for students seeking a career as an acupuncturist. Acupuncture school education and training is approximately 3,000 credit hours. Attaining a professional license as an acupuncturist, after taking up one of the courses in acupuncture, is rewarding in many ways. |
