Absolutely! People are often surprised to find out just how extensive the training is that their acupuncturist has undergone. A Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) has obtained a graduate-level education from an ACAOM-accredited college and has passed rigorous national certification exams administered by the NCCAOM. Masters programs in Chinese Medicine consist of 3-4 years of intensive training in acupuncture, herbal medicine, Asian bodywork (e.g. acupressure, tui na, shiatsu), nutrition, and qi gong. This training amounts to over 3,500 credit hours of both academic and clinical training, including hundreds of hours of direct patient care and a minimum of 250 patient treatments before licensure. Additionally, licensed acupuncturists are required to do regular continuing education to maintain national certification and state licensure. Licensed Acupuncturists are trained to treat a broad range of health issues, including chronic disease, pain, internal medicine, rehabilitation, and preventative care.