10/28/2015
The 10 Best Acupuncture Schools in the U.S.
A 2010 telephone survey performed jointly by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the American Association of Retired Persons showed that over half of all people 50 years of age and older have used complementary and alternative medicine. Increasingly, people under the age of 50 are also turning to alternative treatments.
One of the most popular alternative treatments is acupuncture. Originating in China, acupuncture has a long history of helping people balance the body, improve health, and reduce pain.
Because of acupuncture’s increasing popularity, the number of acupuncture schools has grown over the years. With numerous institutions offering acupuncture programs, it’s not easy selecting a school.
Prospective students may begin their search with schools accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).
The Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine as well as the American Association of Oriental Medicine established ACAOM in 1982 as a not-for-profit organization. ACAOM is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a “specialized and professional” accrediting agency.
ACAOM has more than 60 schools and colleges with accreditation or candidacy status. All of the schools we selected for our list have received accreditation from the ACAOM.
Below is our ranking of the 10 best acupuncture schools in the United States. Factors that influenced our choice of schools making this list as well as their relative order include the following:
1. quality of faculty not only as practitioners of acupuncture but also as researchers advancing the field;
2. success in training students who can lead the field;
3. having not merely a masters but also a doctoral program in acupuncture;
4. comprehensiveness of the training program;
5. how long the school has been in existence and its reputation for excellence during that time.
Rated #1. Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (Portland, OR)
Topping our list is the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, which offers both a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program and a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program.
The programs provide a solid foundation in acupuncture, therapeutic massage, Chinese herbal medicine, and Qi cultivation. The programs also focus on collaboration between Chinese medicine and Western biomedicine.
Students in the Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program receive thorough training and practical experience in all aspects of traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, nutrition, Qi cultivation, and therapeutic message. The program also covers Western medical approaches and other subjects.
Students obtain hands-on experience helping patients in the college’s community clinics.
The two-year Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program emphasizes proficiency and performance. The program covers the most advanced levels of theory and practice in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. The program includes five general competencies.
Admissions requirements: Applicants to the Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program are required to complete at least three years of college at an accredited institution (a minimum of 135 quarter credits, or 90 semester credits). However, the school recommends that incoming students complete four years of college. By the time they matriculate, candidates are required to have completed such college-level courses as general biology, chemistry, and psychology.
Applicants to the Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program are required to document a master’s level of training in acupuncture and Oriental medicine (or its equivalent). Formal training in herbal medicine is essential.
