Duties
Oriental medicine practitioners use forms of acupuncture and
treatment through the Chinese concept of “qi,” which means energy. Oriental
medicine treats a variety of ailments including headaches, back pain,
arthritis, or other illnesses by identifying patterns of imbalance within a
body’s energy levels and working to readjust fluids or tissues in order to keep
the body in balance and relieve pain. Oriental medicine techniques include
acupuncture, cupping, acupressure, and herbal supplements that are applied to
specific body parts or tissues. Practitioners must be able to evaluate a
patient’s symptoms and identify what organs or tissues are causing the ailment,
and come up with a customized plan that incorporates oriental herbs and
practices into a treatment. Acupuncture treatments involve the use of needles
being placed in joints and tissues.
Salary: $61,000
Education:
Education and training requirements vary state to state for
becoming an oriental medicine practitioner. Some practitioners are licensed to
be a physician’s assistant and then take classes to become certified in
oriental medicine. Most practitioners earn a Bachelor’s degree in biology or
another medical related field, then go on to fill state requirements for
practicing oriental medicine. Most states require students to work as an intern
or apprentice for a specific number of hours in order to qualify for
certification, and then have them take an examination to become certified
through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine.