Acupuncture exposure in formal training is very limited. Individuals that are interested in offering acupuncture as part of patient care, must find training outside of the formal veterinary school curriculum.

There are three organizations that provide training in the United States. I trained in 2009-2010 with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. The requirements were as follows :

  1. Four training sessions over 9 months with each session being 32 hours. This makes 128 hours of training, which involved classroom and hands-on skills.
  2. Passing a practical and written examination showing knowledge and skills in the use of acupuncture.
  3. Presenting a written peer-reviewed case report. This demonstrates the thought processes and techniques used in an actual acupuncture case of a patient.
  4. Complete a 40-hour internship- study of clinical cases with another current CVA in their office.

Upon completion, one receives the credentials of a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist(CVA).