Acupuncture and Eastern medicine believe in Qi. Qi is energy that flows throughout the body along specific pathways called Meridians. Acupuncture is the art of applying needles to specific points along these meridians to cure certain problems. Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine are used to cure many conditions, including allergies, joint and back pain, arthritis, headaches, hypertension, addiction, and disorders of the ear, nose and throat, among others.

To study acupuncture and other forms of ancient medicine, you will need to have a steady hand. Many Eastern medicine techniques require the direct application of pressure to specific sites along the meridian. By applying pressure and pins to the wrong points, you could cause discomfort, stress and other problems.

You must also have customer service skills, since you will be working directly with patients. You will need to maintain a calm atmosphere as well because in many cases your patients will need to remain still throughout the procedure.

Empathy and patience are also important. Many customers will come to you because they have tried Western medicine but are not experiencing the results they want. They may consider you their last hope. You will deal with skeptics and addicts, and will often treat the same patients for long periods of time. Maintaining your professionalism is very important.

Your goal is to help your patients achieve physical, mental and emotional balance.  In some cases, the only way to accomplish this is through a combination of practices from both Eastern and Western medicine. You will need to work with patients individually to determine the best health plan to meet their needs.

To become an acupuncturist, you must attend a three to four year school that is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). You will learn needle safety techniques, the locations of the meridians, the history of acupuncture, and the reasons behind and methods for applying these techniques. You will learn about other ancient alternative medicines as well, including Chinese herbology, which uses herbs, berries and roots as medicine, and Chinese bodywork. Master's and Ph.D. degrees in these disciplines can be earned at many schools.

You need to obtain a license to practice in the state in which you want to work. You should research the requirements in each state because they are not all the same, and some states do not yet license acupuncturists. You may need to be flexible in where you decide to practice.

To become licensed, you will need to complete training at a three to four year school focusing on acupuncture and obtain certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. There may be other requirements as well, depending on your state.

If you want to work with animals instead of people, there are programs for this as well. First you’ll need to become a veterinarian and then take the necessary courses to become certified in veterinary acupuncture. You can obtain this certification from the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS).

It is up to you whether you want to work in a clinic, hospital, research facility or begin your own clinic. You can choose to apply other traditional Chinese medicine techniques, such as herbology. You can also specialize in areas such as respiratory problems. Your salary will depend on the state you live in and whether you choose to specialize in one aspect of Oriental medicine. You can expect to earn anywhere from 25,000 to 100,000 per year.