What is the difference between getting acupuncture from a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) or from a medical doctor or chiropractor with an acupuncture certification?
In the state of Maine, Licensed Acupuncturists are required to complete all standard pre-medical undergraduate requirements and a minimum of 3+ academic years of advanced degree study. In addition, prsactitioners must pass 3 rigorous national board examinations given by the National Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. In contrast, medical doctors can practice acupuncture with little or no acupuncture training, and chiropractors can practice it with as little as 300 hours of training. A Licensed Acupuncturist uses acupuncture and its underlying theories as their main method of healthcare, enabling them to fully focus and expand their expertise in that area. This allows them to take advantage of the broad range of its applications as well as go more in depth in treating individual cases. Meanwhile, others practicing acupuncture without the L.Ac. title may only use it for very limited applications or as an adjunctive technique.
