How to Become a Veterinary Acupuncturist

Veterinary acupuncture is a relatively new field in the United States. With acupuncture, needles are inserted at specific locations on the body to cure various ailments. Like human acupuncture, veterinary acupuncture works well with musculoskeletal problems, skin problems, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and some reproductive problems. Becoming a veterinary acupuncturist may be an interesting career if you're already a veterinarian and want to expand your practice to include some alternative medicines.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Become a veterinarian. You cannot be a veterinary acupuncturist unless you are already a practicing veterinarian. Since acupuncture is considered a surgical procedure, most states require that only vets may do acupuncture on animals. Acupuncture is used to treat large and small animals, so it doesn't matter if you're a large or small animal vet.

2. Contact the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) so you can become certified as a veterinary acupuncturist. They're the only certifying board in the United States.

3. Attend all four sessions of the IVAS Course in basic veterinary acupuncture. You'll learn when and how to use this treatment, what to expect from treatments. See the IVAS website for an updated schedule and more information.

4. Pay the fee, which includes the cost of the course and the examination.

5. Take and pass the written examination.

6. Pass your internship and/or submit your case studies to IVAS.

Resources

• Go to the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) for more information.
• Read Veterinary Acupuncture: Ancient Art to Modern Medicine by Allen M. Schoen for more information.

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