Creating Professionals: Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture

There are many different schools that are cropping up in acupuncture and herbal medicine. There are even several institutes of herbal medicine and acupuncture that specialize in this type of medical practice. Because this type of medicine is becoming more widely accepted in the medical profession, there are more regulations and oversight on the practice and certification of individuals who want to practice in the field. The institutes for herbal medicine and acupuncture help to ensure that their students get the professional training and practice that they need to obtain these certifications and licenses. Individuals who are considering taking courses or pursuing a degree in the field of acupuncture and herbal medicine should make sure that the college or university is accredited by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine so that their credits count for licensing.

In addition to the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, there are also state requirements that must be met to be licensed to practice in each state. Individuals will also want to check what the state requirements are where they live to make sure that the college or university's institute of herbal medicine and acupuncture meets those regulations. Most states will follow what the NCCAOM requires since it is the only nationally recognized certification organization in this field of study. However, it is a private organization so that is why the state requirements take precedence over the requirements that the NCCAOM has, including licensure.

Institutes of herbal medicine and acupuncture take students through the philosophy behind the practice of Chinese herbal medicine so that they understand how the body functions with the electrical pathways and patterns throughout the body. In addition, there is training in the diagnostic methods that are used in this type of medicine, such as evaluating the tongue or the pulse, as well as palpitating different parts of the body and observing the reactions. They are also trained at these institutes of herbal medicine and acupuncture in the techniques on acupuncture and how they work to stimulate these energy pathways. They also learn how to prescribe different herbal combinations, requiring them to learn the attributes of the different herbs and how they can be used to work together for a cure to different ailments. Normally, the individual will have to complete at least twenty-five hundred hours of training at an institute of herbal medicine and acupuncture in order to be eligible for licensure under the NCCAOM's requirements.