Professional acupuncturists pursue a rigorous education that combines years of intense classes in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine (if pursuing a dual degree), as well as several clinical internships. Each school of acupuncture has its own unique curriculum. The closest graduate school for acupuncture in the New England area is NESA (New England School of Acupuncture). to find other acupuncture schools, check Acufinder.I graduated NESA with a dual major (a 3-year graduate program) in Japanese and Chinese Acupuncture and Chinese HerbalMedicine. A double major results in the Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAOM) degree. At NESA, the dual-degree program requires a minimum of 36 months of schooling. Majoring in Acupuncture alone requires 32 months (2,625 hours and 150 credits) of study and results in the Master of Acupuncture degree.
The programs at NESA generally require three semesters per year (nine total semesters) with two weeks of break between semesters, one week for spring break, and another week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Students are required to take many exams throughout the course of the three years and to perform well in clinical internships. During the third year, students can begin to study for the National Board Exam. NESA students generally pass the board exam on their first try. Compared with the three rigorous years of the NESA curriculum, the board exam (5 modules) was not so bad. Following is the NESA curriculum outline for the dual major – Japanese Acupuncture Track + Chinese Herbal Medicine Track, Total of 3,158 hours and 180 credits. This curriculum is based on the year 2005 program (graduating in 2008).
For more information on NESA’s programs, visit their website.
Science Course Requirements (15 credits)
Anatomy and Physiology 1
Anatomy and Physiology 2
General Biology
General Psychology
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Biochemistry
Microbiology with lab
General Physics1st Year Fall Semester (17.5 credits)
Traditional Chinese Medical Theory 1 (TCM Theory)
Traditional Chinese Medicine Lab 1 (TCM Lab)
Point Location 1
Materials and Methods of TCM 1
Living Anatomy and Structural Analysis
History & Cultural Foundations of Chinese Medical Systems
Internal Exercise
Clinical Assistantship 11st Year Spring Semester (16 credits)
TCM Theory 2
Point Location 2
Materials and Methods of TCM 2
Diagnostic Skills of TCM
Introduction to Chinese Herbal Medicine
Introduction to Japanese Acupuncture Styles
Clinical Assistantship 2
1st Year Summer Semester (15.5 credits)
Meridian 5 phase (Japanese Track)
Pharmacopoeia 1 (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
TCM Etiology & Pathology of Disease 1
Actions & Effects of the Points & Channels 1
Clinical Skills of TCM
Microsystems of Acupuncture Treatment (Auricular Acupuncture)
Clinical Assistantship 3
Pharmacy Assistantship at NESA Pharmacy (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
2nd Year Fall Semester (19.5 credits)
Extra Channel Polarization Treatment Strategies (Japanese Acupuncture Track)
Pharmacopoeia 2 (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
TCM Etiology & Pathology of Diseases 2
Actions & Effects of the Point & Channels 2
TCM Lab 2
Introduction to Chinese Acupuncture Clinical Internship 1
Western Medical Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 1
Research 1
Design and Evaluation
Clinical Assistantship 4
2nd Year Spring Semester (19.5 credits)
Local Treatments (Japanese Acupuncture Track)
Formulas 1 (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
TCM Etiology & Pathology of Diseases 3
Introduction to Chinese Acupuncture Clinical Internship 2
CPR & Basic First Aid
Western Medical Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 2
Oriental Bodywork Therapy
Orthopedic Acupuncture
Clinical Assistantship 5
2nd Year Summer Semester (17 credits)
Introduction to Japanese Acupuncture Clinical Internship (Japanese Acupuncture Track)
Formulas 2 (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
Patent Medicine 2 (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
Western Medical Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 3
Clinical Internship 1, 2 (60 hours each)
Psychological Issues of Patient Care
Elective
3rd Year Fall Semester (22.5 credits)
Divergent Channels and Muscle Meridians (Japanese Acupuncture Track)
Internal Medicine 1 (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
Intro to CHM Clinic
Formula writing (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
Clinical Internship 3, 4, 5 (75 hours each)
Clinical Case Management 1
Western Medical Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 4
Nutrition
Elective
3rd Year Spring Semester (18.5 credits)
Internal Medicine 2 (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
Clinical Internship 6, 7, 8 (75 hours each)
Clinical Case Management 2
Practice Development & Business Management
Survey of Chinese Classis Medical Texts
3rd Year Summer Semester (7 credits)
Clinical Pharmacology (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
Clinical Internship 9 (60 hours)
Clinical Herbal Internship (90 hours) (Chinese Herbal Medicine Track)
