Even though acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years in China and Asian countries, it is a fairly new alternative medical practice in USA. Still the last decade showed rapid growth of acupuncture popularity among people from all over the states. That is why there have been a great number of acupuncture schools opening up throughout the states.
For long USA has had a strong community of Chinese people living in it. These people have strong cultural traditions and kept on practicing acupuncture to treat various diseases and conditions. However, the acupuncture has become more widely known and practiced only in the 70s of the last century, when president Nixon has introduced a significant positive change in relations of USA with China.
The last 10 years of acupuncture development in USA has shown a rapid growth not only in the quantity of acupuncturists, acupuncture schools and other acupuncture related institutions, but in the quality of acupuncture education and practice. The ACAOM (acupuncture council) has been formed. This council provides acupuncture the best acupuncture schools with accreditation, making sure they provide their students with the best training possible. The term of acupuncture education has also greatly changed. It has increased from just few months on acupuncture courses to up to 6 years at acupuncture colleges. Now both common people and western medicine professionals have the opportunity to gain deep knowledge of acupuncture practices, Chinese medical traditions and concomitant treatments, such as herb therapy. Lots of states have acknowledged the right of acupuncturists to set up independent practices and provide high quality, safe and efficient treatment to their patients. The fact is that in some states over half of western medicine professionals advise their patients to get a course of acupuncture to fix their health problems. No wonder that California is one of the states, with the most acupuncture schools in it. Besides, acupuncturists get the highest income practicing this ancient science in California. It has 18 ACAOM accredited acupuncture schools, while some others states have none whatsoever. The level of acupuncture education has significantly changed; and consequently changed the demands for the acupuncture students-to-be. Presently, only people with high GPA and lots of undergraduate education can hope to enter the best of the acupuncture schools in USA. As you may see, acupuncture career field does offer great and solid prospective for development. However, obtaining your acupuncture diploma and attending an acupuncture school is not an easy and fast thing to do.