Acupuncture is a medical course, which is also called as needling therapy. It is an alternate method of curing various kinds of health issues. This treatment method was originated in China, but now therapists from across the world follow it. It is one of the simplest and cheapest treatment methods for various health conditions. It takes some time to show results, and even after using needles, it is not a painful process. Many medical students opt for this course, and if you are interested in Needle therapy, then Acupuncture is one of the best courses for you. You can try a new method of treating your patients.
Acupuncture course can be completed in many ways. You have a diploma course, bachelor’s degree and Master’s as well in Acupuncture. So, depending on your qualification, you can choose a course. The duration of each course is different, and the fee structure of the course also varies.
Just like any other doctor, a person who has completed a course in Acupuncture will have several job opportunities in many hospitals, healthcare centres and medical institutions. Pay is always good for a doctor. As your experience increases, your pay will also increase.
Course Summary
Those who want to make a different career in medicine can go for Acupuncture. This therapy is proven to be useful in treating many health alignments when combined with English medicine. Like we already, it is offered at different levels and based on the level you are choosing, your qualification and course details differ. You will learn about the basic techniques in the diploma levels, and as you keep moving to Degree and master’s you will be able to learn the needling therapy in detail.
What is Acupuncture course?
Acupuncture is a Chinese treatment process which was originated 5000 years ago. It is a process of inserting needles into the body at a specific location of treatment. Depending on the health issue, the location of treatment is decided. Acupuncture is not just about inserting needles, but it is also a process of applying pressure at certain to get rid of some health concerns. The main aim of this process is that our body runs based on the flow of energy. We are facing health issues due to some problem in the flow of energy in the body. So, this therapy focuses on bring the energy flow back to how it was and that clears our health issues.
As a student of Acupuncture, you are going to learn about different health concerns and what kind of treatment is necessary to bring energy back to that spot. It is very important to have a lot of patience as a doctor if you are planning to become an acupuncture specialist. Strong communication skills and ability to diagnose the actual issue is very important. You will have to take care of a lot of points as a doctor like the location of needling therapy, size of needles so that the required organ is stimulated and starts working in a normal way.
Acupuncture Course Details:
| Course Name | Acupuncture Course |
| Duration of Course | Diploma in Acupuncture – One year
Bachelor’s Degree in Acupuncture – Three years Master’s in Acupuncture – Two Years. |
| Course Fee per year | Diploma in Acupuncture – nearly Rs 90,000
Bachelor’s Degree in Acupuncture – 2 lakhs to 4 lakhs Master’s in Acupuncture – 2 lakhs to 4 lakhs |
Apart from these, there are also short courses that are offered by many institutions in Acupuncture, like:
- Training Course in Basic Traditional Chinese Medicine.
- Training course in Cosmetic Acupressure.
- Training course in Detail Advance Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Eligibility for Acupuncture:
Again, like we already discussed, the eligibility criteria is going to be different for each level of course.
- If you are option for a Diploma in Acupuncture, you need to pass your 10 standard.
- For a bachelor’s degree in Acupuncture, you should have passed 10+2 with good percentage.
- For a master’s degree in Acupuncture, you should have a MBBS, DMS, BDS, BHMS and DHMS.
Along with the pre-requisites, you should also clear the individual entrance conducted by the colleges for admission into their college. But for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Acupuncture, a common entrance test will be conducted for students across India and only upon clearance of the test you will be eligible to apply for colleges of your choice. Based on the merit list, you will be shortlisted for admission. The shortlisted candidates will be informed personally or the list will be posted on the official website.
Syllabus for Acupuncture:
Syllabus is going to depend on the type of course that you are taking.
For Diploma in Acupunture: In diploma you will learn the basics of Chinese therapy and a few basic methods of massage and pressure points.
For Bachelor’s Degree in Acupuncture:
| First year | Second year | Third year |
| English language-1 | Internal Medicine (Western) | Classical Acupuncture |
| Anatomy | Acupuncture Meridians & Points | Applied Acupuncture |
| Physiology | Five Element Theory & Points | Obstretics & Gyaenecology |
| Social & Preventive Medicine | Ancillary Acupuncture | Preliminary TCM |
| Fundamentals of Acupuncture | Indian Constitution & Medical ethics | Environmental studies |
| Clinical practical |
For Master’s in Acupuncture:
| First year | Second year |
| Acupuncture theory | Scientific base of Acupuncture |
| TCM | Application & Techniques |
| Bio-Energy- Advanced Five Elements | Applied Acupuncture |
| Auriculo-Scalp Acupuncture & Acupressure | Clinical Practical |
Further Education in Acupuncture:
If you are looking for a good career in Acupuncture, then you will have to continue its study. If you are starting with a short course or Diploma in Acupuncture, you can further continue with Bachelor’s degree in Acupuncture and Master’s degree in Acupuncture. If you still want to continue your research and learning in Acupuncture, then you can even opt for Doctorate in Acupuncture. It gives you a lot to study and learn about the needling therapy.
Acupuncture Career Opportunities:
Once you complete a course in Acupuncture, you will be able to get good job opportunities in India and also in many other countries. It is a very important and effective method of treating different kinds of health alignments. Depending on the level of your course, you can be hired for the following posts:
- Physical Therapist Assistants & Aides
- Acupuncture Consultants
- Chiropractors
- Massage Therapists
- Healthcare Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners
You will get offers from health institutions, public health clinics, physician practices, college health centers, integrative healthcare clinics, natural apothecaries and even from hospitals near you. You can also open a clinic of your own when you are sure about your practice. This will give you a better career opportunity and you will also be able to offer career opportunity to a few other practitioners along with you.
The average salary package for Acupuncture:
For doctors, the perks are always high. Whether you are working for a healthcare center or you have your own practice, salary is not at all an issue. The salaries vary depending on your position, your experience and the institution or organization where you are working.
- For Physical Therapist Assistants & Aides, the average salary is going to be between 1.5 lakhs to 5 lakhs.
- Acupuncture consultants earn between 3.5 lakhs to 6.5 lakhs.
- Chiropractors get the highest pay in Acupuncture and that is between 9.5 lakhs to 12.5 lakhs.
- Massage Therapists earns somewhere around 7.5 lakhs to 9.5 lakhs per annum.
- Healthcare Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners get between 5.5 lakhs to 8.5 lakhs.
As you keep gaining experience and add more degrees to your present Acupuncture course, you will be able to get better job opportunities. When you get an offer from a better organization, you will receive better pay as well. There are many government hospitals in India that are hiring acupuncture specialists as this is a proven treatment for many health alignments.
List of prominent Acupuncture colleges in India
If you are trying to find the best Acupuncture colleges in India, then you should consider the below list:
- Internationl Institute Of Medical Cosmetology and Beauty Art(IIMCB, Cosmetic 10 Clinic and Medical Center), Ludhiana.
- ATAMA Acupuncture Training And Research Centre, Salem.
- Indian AccuTouch Medical Institute, Mettupalayam, Coimbatore.
- Shrawasti Institute of Alternative Medicine, Shravasti.
- Academy for Acupressure and Acupuncture, Bangalore.
- Bihar Acupressure Yoga College (B A Y C), Patna.
- All India Alternative Medical Council, Nainital.
- Mahendra Institute of Alternative Medicine, Jaipur.
- Institute of Alternative Medicines and Research (IAMR), Kolkata.
- All India Paramedical Technology and Alternative Medicine Council, Ludhiana.
Apart from these top ten institutions, there are many institutions across India that offer the best courses in Acupuncture.
Acupuncture Courses Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do I know if I am eligible for the Acupuncture course?
The eligibility criteria of the course depend on your present education level and the course you plan to pursue. For the diploma course, anyone who has completed Class X is eligible. Similarly, for Bachelor, the eligibility criteria are for anyone who has completed 10+2 with a science background. If you are looking to be an expert, you can pursue a master’s degree, and for that, you need to have a relevant bachelor degree. You can refer to the help articles on the page, and we assure you that you will find all the details about the eligibility criteria.
Q2. Where can I pursue the Acupuncture course from?
There are a lot of recognized institutes that offer a course in acupuncture. Since the field is well-established, you can opt for any reputed institute. You will also have to look at your marks and the institute’s cut-off to be able to pursue an acupuncture course. The list of the top ten institutes for pursuing acupuncture course is available on the link. Go over the details, and we are sure that you will find the institute for yourself. Remember that pursuing the course from a reputed institute will make it easy for you to find a job.
Q3. Will I easily get a job after the Acupuncture course?
Today, the role of acupuncture is not just restricted to therapy clinics. The therapy scope has improved massively, and people often love to opt for these alternative therapies because of the optimal results without any side effects. You can easily find a job in therapy clinics, multi-speciality hospitals, established acupuncture institutes and clinics. These places hire acupuncture therapies, and there are a lot of vacancies available around the year. Having a degree from a good college would be a driving factor. If you opt for a college that offers placement assistance, it will be even easier for you to get a job.
Q4. What is the investment that I need to make to work as a therapist?
The real investment here remains the fee that you will spend to complete the course. The fee varies as per the levels. For example, you will be able to earn a diploma degree in less than a lakh. Similarly, if you plan to pursue a bachelor degree, you will have to invest anywhere between Rs 2 Lakh to Rs 4 Lakh in your education. The investment remains the same in the master’s degree. However, you will be able to get a stipend during the masters. The stipend will reduce the overall cost of your education. If you plan to set up your clinic, then the investment will certainly be higher than the one quoted above. The investment, in this case, would depend on the infrastructure and services you want to offer.
Q5. Is the Acupuncture course a scientifically proven technique?
As per many government research wings, acupuncture is known to be an effective treatment. You can combine acupuncture with conventional treatment to get quick results. Opting for acupuncture is more of a personal choice, and the results can vary from one person to another. In our opinion, acupuncture is worth a try.
Rahul Kumar is a passionate educator, writer, and subject matter expert in the field of education and professional development. As an author on CoursesXpert, Rahul Kumar’s articles cover a wide range of topics, from various courses, educational and career guidance.
