Acupuncture is one of the leading medical healing arts and should not be compromised by nonchalant recipes. Physicians must have thorough and consistent training in acupuncture. This should not just revolve around clinical methods. Instead, more emphasis must be laid on techniques for actual needling and theories behind different combinations of needles. Differentiating the actual patterns is of great importance in effecting treatment for chronic and complex diseases.

Acupuncturists who have licenses and physicians who perform acupuncture also need to be evaluated by the same clinical competency levels that are required by national standards as enforced by government recognized commissions.

The 1999 meeting of the WHO in Italy set a number of standards that regulate acupuncture as performed by physicians. The recommended number is 1500 hours. Additionally, physicians should train for 300 hours if they are to oversee any acupuncture research project. However, these physicians should not perform the acupuncture personally.

The United States Department of Education currently only recognizes the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Studies (ACAOM) as the agency that can accredit schools of acupuncture. For new practitioners of acupuncture, the ACAOM has a requirement of 1455 hours for comprehensive instruction and monitored clinical training. However, this period is not inclusive of the more than 1000 training hours that are required to gain knowledge in Chinese formulas/herbs and biomedicine.

Physicians who have completed courses in medical acupuncture are aware of what such programs entail. Added advantages also arise from completing 3-year full time programs designed for Oriental Medicine. Experience in education has a gigantic impact on furthering the skills needed for perfect acupuncture. It also leads to a better comprehension of Oriental Medicine in addition to painting a vivid picture of the hardships and challenges that arise as a result of recalcitrant and chronic disease.

Every health care professional must be evaluated by the minimum standards that are required for entry-level acupuncture. The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture should seriously reconsider this issue and revisit the option of increasing the hours of training to encompass more education in the techniques of needling and in supervising the treatment of patients.

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I began my medical career in 1979 when I received my MD degree from Albany Medical College. I trained in diagnostic radiology at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. I entered private practice and spent 20 years doing full-service hospital radiology. It was at the end of these 20 years that changes occurred in my life, changes that made me look at my direction and commitments. It was at that time in my career when I discovered acupuncture, and the power this medicine has to heal. Please understand, I was awestruck at the conditions acupuncture could effectively treat —- conditions that from my previous medical training I knew were precisely those no one wanted to get stuck with because there was no effective treatment. I am a fellowship-trained interventional radiologist, and I have put needles into arteries, veins, solid organs, abscesses, tumors, pleural cavities, peritoneal cavities….you name it. But I had never felt the pull of Qi on a needle, I had never intentionally manipulated a needle to achieve a specific energetic effect, I had never contacted the energy of a meridian, nor used needles themselves, as instruments of healing. Here was a whole new science to learn. And the amazing thing is that it has a 3000 year history with millions upon millions of people undergoing clinical trial in China for 30 centuries!

So I enrolled in a course for physicians to learn “medical acupuncture”. I attended two weekend sessions, watched videotapes, and read one book. This course was based on the work of one physician. The book we read was his book – the videotapes we listened to were him talking, and he gave nearly all of the lectures at the 2 weekends of instruction. On the last day of training, I happened to be sitting next to a doctor from San Diego, and I overheard him say, “My wife knows so much more about acupuncture than I do.”

I subsequently found out this doctor’s wife was a licensed acupuncturist. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was enrolled at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon in a Master’s degree program in Classical Chinese Medicine. I will graduate from this same program in June. It is a 4-year program, and I have been able to complete it in 3 years by transferring credits from my medical school training. I feel very strongly that, in order to practice acupuncture at the level of competency which this medicine deserves, one must learn from many professors, observe with many clinical supervisors, and spend at least a few years to learn how to approach a patient in a holistic way with an entirely new set of diagnostic principles.

Remember, I am a scientist at heart, and this is the finest science that I have encountered. As a physician who has gone through Western medical training and now training in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, I assure you that abbreviated courses in acupuncture for physicians pose a serious problem. That problem has to do with efficacy of treatment. Without a comprehensive education in the fundamentals of this science, and without appropriate hours spent in learning complex needling techniques, followed by supervised clinical application of all of this learning, it is not possible to effectively treat the list of diseases which the world now recognizes are amenable to acupuncture intervention.

The World Health Organization recognizes the ability of acupuncture to treat the following diseases: asthma, menstrual cramps, arthritis, sciatica, TMJ problems, allergies, anxiety, depression, bladder problems, kidney problems, childhood illness, colds, influenza, cough, bronchitis, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, ear-nose & throat disorders, fatigue, gynecological disorders, genital herpes, herpetic neuralgia, heart palpitations, immune system deficiency, infertility, insomnia, numbness, poor circulation, PMS, sexual dysfunction, impotence, skin problems, stress-related illnesses, and weight gain or weight loss…and the list goes on.

Acupuncture is not a nice, short topic that can be covered during a seminar lasting for a few weekends. Suffice it to say, that it is not possible to treat the difficult diseases listed above after watching videotapes, reading one textbook, and attending two weekends of lecture with needling practice on a few other course participants.

I would like to give you a brief case presentation now, to try to illustrate in a nutshell why I am writing this letter. A 57 year old man presented 4 days earlier to the OHSU emergency room with sudden and complete blindness in his right eye. He was seen by an ophthalmologist, underwent carotid ultrasound, an MRI of his brain and MRI angiography , and was told that he had occlusion of his central retinal artery and would have permanent loss of vision in that eye. At the time of presentation his medications included lisinopril, metformin, and aspirin. Fortunately, the patient happened to have an appointment with his chiropractor, who heard the story of this man’s sudden blindness and grim prognosis, and referred the patient to the acupuncture practitioner who worked in the same building. The patient was seen daily for 7 consecutive days for acupuncture treatment. On the second day, he could see a small circle of light in the center of his vision in the blind eye. Day by day that circle of light enlarged, and became clearer. At the end of 7 treatments he had 20/40 vision in the previously blind eye.

This is the power of this medicine in the hands of a skilled practitioner. This is what can be accomplished in Oriental Medicine. Someone in Integrative Medicine has given me a definition of their subspecialty as the medicine that “fills in the gaps”. I think this is an apt definition, and there are many gaps in western medicine which need filling. Please give Oriental Medicine a chance by ensuring that practitioners who enter this field are adequately trained. Let’s up the ante, and see whether we can embrace this amazing alternative healing science with practitioners who have enough didactic hours of lecture from a variety of acupuncture faculty, and enough supervised hours of clinical practice so that they are familiar with treating patients with all sorts of maladies such as cancer, asthma, palpitations, constipation, allergies, menstrual disorders….to name just a few common problems.

The way forward has been paved by the state of Hawaii. Hawaii requires that medical doctors be trained and tested for competency prior to administering acupuncture to patients. The Attorney General for the state of Hawaii issued a statement on August 18, 2003, declaring that “medical acupuncture” as performed by physicians is not substantially different from any other type of acupuncture, and therefore, physicians performing “medical acupuncture” should be subject to the same laws of licensure and proof of competency as everyone else.

We in the acupuncture field are at a crossroads. We can condone physicians doing acupuncture under-trained, unsupervised, unevaluated in terms of competency, or we can strive to raise the standard. I feel strongly that this is a public health issue. I feel strongly that allowing medical doctors with minimal training & without oversight by a non-professional organization is a dangerous and foolhardy policy. I’d like to respectfully remind you that we are talking here about a healthcare profession; we are talking about peoples’ health & well-being; we cannot afford to have a double standard. The general public deserves parity in licensing so that competency can be maintained.

I therefore propose that the American Association of Medical Acupuncture evaluate their own training programs and consider complying with the World Health Organization’s recommendations of 1500 hours of training in acupuncture for physicians interested in pursuing this medicine. The WHO standards for physicians performing “medical acupuncture” include 1000 hours of didactic (including needling technique labs) and 500 hours of supervised clinical training, which ensures adequate training for entry level acupuncture. In addition, I feel that physicians should be required to pass the NCCAOM examinations to ensure their competency in acupuncture evaluation and treatment. If the AAMA is willing to adopt these standards of 1500 hours and NCCAOM testing, I believe the future of “medical acupuncture” in the United States would be shifted from a position of tenuous efficacy to one of competency and powerful healing.

Dr. Marilyn M. Walkey MD
www.flyingcraneacupuncture.com

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Practice Medical Acupuncture In 4 Days.

Would you go to an acupuncturist who has 4 days of training? Neither would I!

When seeking out an acupuncturist, make sure they have at least 3 years training with over 2,000 hours of acupuncture study.

One of the main issues surrounding medical acupuncture is their lack of training.

This ad goes on to say that this is an “intensive course” and “immediately after the course you can start treating your patients with medical acupuncture as a fully qualified practitioner”.

That couldn’t be further from the truth!

Bad enough, but are they also trying to fool the public that their quickie medical acupuncture courses are superior to the 3 years of training to become a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.)?

You bet they are!

This is included in their advertisement:

More effective than traditional acupuncture!

So why am I telling you this?

Because I want you to know the real differences between medical acupuncture and traditional acupuncture.
Does it really make sense that one can become a fully qualified practitioner in 4 days?

Do some research before selecting an acupuncturist and make sure they are truly qualified and licensed. Don’t fall for scams.

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Here are some of them:

“Medical acupuncturists are simply physicians trained via a 200-300 hour course with a streamlined curriculum, as overseen by the American Academy of Medical Acupuncturists”.

This isn’t something licensed acupuncturists are saying to deter the public from going to a non-licensed medical acupuncturists as in a turf war, This Is A fact!

Medical acupuncturist have a lack of knowledge, which is a result of lack of education in the traditional diagnostic methods used within the acupuncture and Oriental medicine profession.

It’s interesting because I hear from those defending medical acupuncture over and over again telling us that it’s not true and that they have over 1,000 required hours. That is a lie!

“Most physicians (including medical acupuncturists) do not spend an hour or more with their patients to get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment”.

Well, this is something we have heard regarding physicians since…forever!

“Physicians are not held to minimum educational hours or minimum competency levels specific to AOM (Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine). Traditionally trained (nonphysician / L.Ac.’s / Licensed acupuncturists) acupuncturists are held to a minimum 1,220-hour training requirement. Medical doctors, osteopaths and chiropractors have a requirement 300 hours, during which they are to learn theory, techniques and herbs. This is often done with weekend seminars and/or videotape series. Medical students have had the most difficult time understanding Eastern philosophy, which is the root of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Because of their ingrained understanding of how things work, the learning curve increases exponentially in an attempt to understand the complexity behind the theories and use of TCM, especially before integration can successfully take place.”

Now why would anyone go for acupuncture from someone undertrained and not very knowledgeable in the practice and techniques of the exact procedure that they are looking to get done on themselves?

I wouldn’t! I would go to a licensed acupuncturist! And so should you! Would you go to an acupuncturist for an EKG? No, you would go to a medical doctor. So don’t go to another doctor minimally trained in acupuncture, but rather go to a qualified and licensed acupuncturist also known as an L.Ac.

“Acupuncture is so effective because it is a logical process that becomes tangible with an understanding of Eastern philosophy. This cannot be done in a 300-hour course. Medical doctors practicing acupuncture could be beneficial, but only with the proper training and the same examinations all other acupuncturists must take to become licensed. True acupuncture is much more than a simple certification”.

“The idea that physicians with a brief education in acupuncture are more qualified than traditional, nonphysician acupuncturists is a great fallacy. Eastern and Western medical theories and applications vary significantly. The correlated concepts within the evidence-based model are being used to define the entire acupuncture profession, and this is an incredible misrepresentation. In order to properly include acupuncture in their practices, physicians need to be held to the educational requirements and competency levels specific to acupuncture and Oriental medicine”.

Can I get an Amen!

Really, some excellent points made from Ronda Wimmer. Thank you!

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A Russian woman died of pain-induced shock after a self-educated acupuncturist stuck a needle in the wrong spot on her back. The man has been sentenced to 18 months of prison, after which he plans to continue his healing career.

The 38-years-old policewoman came to the acupuncturist to relieve backache. Tamara Popova had suffered constant pain since a car accident several years ago, which had damaged her spine, Life.ru reports.

Doctors advised her to visit a local acupuncturist, one of the few in the city of Tomsk, Siberia.

In spite of the fact that Viktor Zubkov had neither a Medical diploma nor a license to practise acupuncture the woman signed up for a course of treatment.

Do not go to a medical doctor for acupuncture treatments unless he/she also has a license in acupuncture!

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A huge 79% said yes while just 14% said no.

Theoretically speaking I would say yes as well. But thinking about it a little more turns my vote to NO!

If teaching medical students about acupuncture and Oriental medicine would bring about mutual respect and lead our professions towards working together by offering referrals which benefit the patient, then it would be great.

But practically speaking, once many medical students get a taste of acupuncture they feel as though they can then take a quickie course of 220 hours and then perform acupuncture themselves. This way they avoid referring to more qualified and licensed acupuncturists and simply bill the patient or insurance for the treatment.

The problem is that because they are medical doctors they believe they have the power to practice any form of medicine they like. Often the general public is under the impression their medical doctor knows everything which leads them to believe they are getting the same level of care or better from their doctor than they would by going to a licensed acupuncturist. The patient has been fooled into getting mediocre treatment.

Currently, educating doctors to the benefits of acupuncture puts our profession at risk. The fact is that it takes over 2,000 hours to become a licensed acupuncturist, yet there are un-accredited acupuncture courses providing a measly 220 hours of training to certify doctors to practice this complex medicine.

So is the answer to this, to raise the bar for medical doctors and other health care providers that are seeking to practice acupuncture, and require them to take as many hours of acupuncture study as a licensed acupuncturists gets?

I think this would not only benefit the acupuncture profession, but also benefit the public who receives acupuncture for their health, as they can be confident they are receiving care from a fully trained acupuncturist.

What do you think?

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They make a few good points but miss one important key factor with regards to training in medical acupuncture vs. training to be a licensed acupuncturist.

They say before you sign up for your acupuncture treatments it is a good idea to ask your friends if they have received acupuncture before.

Is the acupuncturist willing to work with your physician? I find that many do.

All the acupuncture needles must be single-use and disposable.

The article goes on to say that any acupuncture practitioner you go to should be licensed. The problem next is that they make a mistake and then refer you to the medical acupuncture group which are NOT licensed acupuncturists.

So I will help correct this mistake and refer you to licensed acupuncturists.

Here is an acupuncture directory where you can not only learn about all the benefits of acupuncture and Chinese medicine but you can also search the directory to find a licensed acupuncturist as well.

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There are two types of acupuncture schools that are currently educating those to perform acupuncture on you. It is important, for your health and safety, to know which school your acupuncturist went to. One is accredited and the other is not.

A properly trained acupuncturist would have gone to an acupuncture school that is accredited by the national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. That agency is the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). They have a list of all the acupuncture schools in the USA that are accredited and it is crucial to make sure your acupuncturist had gone to one of those schools listed.

When you call to make an appointment with an acupuncturist, ask what school the acupuncturist/doctor went to. Here is the list of accredited acupuncture schools that you can check to see if your acupuncturist is real or not.

Most of the acupuncturists that you will make your appointment with that have the initials L.Ac. after their name will have gone to one of those accredited acupuncture schools.

But often, when your acupuncturist is another health care practitioner such as a medical doctor, or a chiropractor, and sometimes even a naturopath, osteopath, podiatrist, or physical therapist, they have gone to an acupuncture school that is not on that list. Why? No accredited acupuncture school will give them a few home study weekend courses in place of 4 years intense acupuncture study, so they seek out non-accredited places. Wearing a white lab coat does not make it real so be careful. Ask them what acupuncture school they went to.

·       It is not rude to question the qualification of the person who intends to treat you for a physical ailment, especially if they offer to perform a treatment secondary to their advertised expertise.

There are some medical doctors and chiropractors that have gone to one of those accredited acupuncture schools and are very good acupuncturists, but more often than not, they have not gone to an accredited acupuncture school. Be prudent and ask!

You should know and be aware of the acupuncture schools that are not accredited and are giving out quick acupuncture certifications to doctors.

The Helms Medical Institute / The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture are the main two you should be aware of. They are NOT accredited by the ACAOM and provide a very non-comprehensive, abbreviated, “CliffsNotes” version of acupuncture while dispensing out acupuncture certificates.

For the better quality care of you and your family, and more importantly your safety, make sure your acupuncturist had gone to an accredited school by the ACAOM. You WILL feel a difference, I guarantee it!

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