How Do I Choose an Acupuncturist? First of all, you need to see someone you feel an affinity with, who listens to you and makes you feel comfortable. That person should be well trained and experienced. This means someone who is state licensed. Call the person and talk to them. They may only be able to be brief but feel free to ask how long they’ve been in practice and if they’ve successfully treated the condition for which you would be seeking treatment. Feeling you can trust someone is very personal and important. Take the time to seek out the right practitioner. It’s an important relationship. What’s the difference between a Licensed Acupuncturist and a Certified Acupuncturist? Certification is less rigorous in terms of its requirements to insert needles. It is an easier way for medical doctors to call themselves acupuncturists. They become "certified acupuncturists" with 300 hours of training. This kind of certification may also soon be available to podiatrists and chiropractors. The basic requirement of this training is that they show up for 300 hours. They do not need to pass even one test to become certified. They do not need to insert one acupuncture needle to become certified. This training is not adequate for the complexity of Chinese medicine. However, there are some medical doctors who have studied Chinese medicine more rigorously after they have fulfilled the minimal requirements for certification. Becoming a licensed acupuncturist in New York State requires over 3 years of school with one year of internship. By the time I got my degree, I had 3000 hours of education in Chinese medicine and a strong base in western medicine. I had successfully passed National Board Exams (NCCAOM) and fulfilled rigorous requirements for New York State licensure. Chinese medicine is an extremely complex medical modality that is thousands of years old and takes far more than 300 hours of attention before it is practiced. With over a thousand herbs and hundreds of points, learning how to use them effectively takes years of dedication and experience.