• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Jobs: Work As an Acupuncturist

Posted on: Monday, 21 November 2005, 09:00 CST

What is the work like? Acupuncture is part of a 2,000-year-old system of Chinese medicine that believes that life energy (chi) flows along invisible channels in the body knows as medians. Acupuncturists use these channels to regulate the healing process and help restore health.

It is used to relieve pain, prevent illness, to aid healing in a wide range of conditions such as allergies, depression, migraine, sports injuries and skin conditions. They begin by taking a detailed history of the patient including medical history, lifestyle current symptoms, current treatment, diet and emotional responses to situations. The patient may be treated by burning a dry herb on an acupuncture point, passing small electrical currents through acupuncture points, cupping and massage.

The first consultation may be for 40 to 90 minutes. Subsequent consultations will be shorter. What personal qualities are needed? They should have good communicating skills including listening and explaining, be able to develop an empathy with the patient, be sensitive to clients, be comfortable with physical contact with patients, be able to inspire confidence.

They should keep an emotional distance from patients, know when to refer a patient to a conventional GP and have commercial skills for running a business. What qualifications are needed? Over the past 25 year there has been a dramatic rise in acupuncture and it is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Accredited colleges and universities ask for at least five GCSEs and two or three A-levels with science subjects being the most useful. Equivalent qualifications might be accepted such as relevant BTEC national awards and GSVQs Level 3. There are at least eight colleges and universities that have accredited courses in acupuncture. What will I earn? Most acupuncturists are self-employed and charge between pounds 30 to pounds 80 an hour, depending on location and experience. This rate has to cover costs such as renting, heating and wages to administration staff. A new entrant would earn about pounds 10,000 a year. With experience it rises to pounds 18,000 a yesar. Working in a large practice can bring in excess of pounds 30,000 a year. What are the working conditions like? Acupuncturists tend to work flexible hours according to the number of patients they treat and the times patients are free to see them. These may include evening and weekend work. Some work part time.

They usually work in a small clinic of a therapeutic environment such as a hospice, a cancer treatment unit or addiction treatment centre. They may work from more than one base so a driving licence would be an advantage

Karen Cooper ACUPUNCTURIST

FOR 15 years Karen Cooper practised as a chartered physiotherapist following a three-year university degree course.

Ten years ago she decided to expand her skill levels and took a two-year diploma course in acupuncture.

She is a firm believer in the use of acupuncture for many ailments from relieving hay fever to balancing "energy forces" within the body.

Karen, a 47-year-old mother-of-four, said: "It took me quite some time before I could think the way Chinese acupuncturists think and begin the understand how they apply its uses."

During her training students would practice on each other and she herself knows the benefits of the therapy.

"In this job you get your satisfaction employing a course of therapy and seeing the patient respond positively to it. With acupuncture I suppose it is seeing sceptical patients actually admitting the pins were doing them good."

However she says most of her patients had previous knowledge of acupuncture and were quite eager to test its efficacy

Source: Daily Post; Liverpool

More News in this Category