Atlantic Province Accreditation

The College of Acupuncture & Therapeutics offers as unique opportunity for health care professionals in Atlantic Canada. We offer two levels or courses: Adjunct Acupuncture Certification and Diploma Level Acupuncture (2000 hours).

Adjunct Acupuncture

The Adjunct Acupuncture is designed to allow the health professional to practice acupuncture within their scope of practice. The Adjunct program generally takes 1 year to complete. Please contact us for more information.

Diploma level

This program is designed to allow the health professional to go beyond the Adjunct Acupuncture Certification level and apply acupuncture as a profession onto itself. This program involves over 2000 hours of study. Upon completion of course work, the student will be required to demonstrate competency in the final diploma exam. The program generally takes 2 1/2 years to complete.

Diploma in Acupuncture Competencies

Students graduating from the Diploma in Acupuncture course at the College of Acupuncture & Therapeutics will be competent in:

  1. Safe needling techniques
    1. Understanding of different types of disposable needles (filiform, press tack, fishtail, spherical press needles, plum blossom needle, three edge needle)
    2. Depth and angle of needle insertion
    3. Contraindications
    4. Prohibited and dangerous points
    5. Complications to acupuncture
    6. Untoward responses
    7. Regulations concerning needles and the disposal of needles
    8. Infectious Control Guidelines
  2. Theories of Acupuncture and Meridians
    1. Depth of channels
    2. Location of channels
    3. Qi and the flow of energy through the channels
    4. Qi and essence
    5. Yin Yang
  3. Assessment
    1. Application of Wu Xing - 5 elemental theory
    2. Eight principal patterns of dysfunction
    3. Qi, blood and body fluids
    4. Internal organ patterns
    5. Pathogenic factors
    6. Channel patterns
    7. Six stages, four levels and three burners
    8. Assessment of the eyes, tongue and pulses
    9. Interviewing the client
    10. Assessing soft tissue
    11. Mu and Back Shu points, as they pertain to meridian theory
  4. Acupuncture Treatment
    1. Demonstration of safe needling according to the laws (five elemental, husband and wife, bie xie)
    2. Understanding the use of the different types of points (physiological, distal, mu, shu, xi cleft, luo connecting, yuan source, influential points, elemental)
    3. Cupping
    4. Moxibustion
    5. Origin and insertion needling of muscles
    6. Auricular Acupuncture
    7. Scalp Acupuncture
    8. Hand Acupuncture
    9. Electrotherapy, electro-acupuncture
    10. Far Infrared Therapy
    11. Laser Acupuncture
    12. Obstetric Acupuncture
    13. Child Acupuncture
    14. 12 spirit points
    15. Treatment according to the identification of patterns
  5. Treatment Protocol
    1. Students will have a clear understanding of consent, ethics, law and boundaries relative to running a practice and providing treatment
    2. Students will be able to differentiate between the need for medical attention and indication for safe acupuncture
    3. The student will be able to apply different diagnostics and treatment to all conditions which are indicated for acupuncture
    4. The student will be able to demonstrate safe and effective treatments for all musculoskeletal conditions, pain and joint dysfunctions
    5. Students will be able to apply both western and eastern assessments to musculoskeletal conditions, pain and joint dysfunctions
  6. Anatomy
    1. Palpation of all bony landmarks, depths of bones, contours of bones relative to needling
    2. Visceral system, including location and depth of different tissue
    3. Origin and insertion of the major muscles, palpation and differentiation of tissues
    4. Orientation and structures of all major joints, including ligaments
    5. Fascia and its similarities to the sinew channels
    6. Neurological pathways, referral patterns
    7. Cardiovascular bundles and major artery and vein pathways
    8. Lymphatic system
  7. Physiology
    1. Physiology of fascia and ground substance. The importance of fluids
    2. Pain gate and endorphin theories
    3. Pain and identification of patterns, visceral pain, somatic pain, referral pain, scleratomal pain, and dermatomal pain
    4. Central nervous and peripheral nervous system, functions and pathologies
    5. Muscle function and physiology
    6. Digestion system, including common conditions
    7. Immune system, humoral and cellular responses
    8. Cardiovascular system, neovascularization and angiogenesis
    9. Respiratory system, including common ailments
    10. Reproductive system
    11. Urinary system
    12. Lymphatic system, flow and contraindications
    13. Endocrine system
  8. Pathology
    1. Myofascial disorders and trigger points
    2. Lymphodema, identification and basic physiology
    3. Healing of tissue, different phases, and how acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping relates to each phase
    4. Cardiovascular diseases, causes, and the indications for acupuncture
    5. Peripheral nerve lesions
    6. Central nerve system lesions
    7. Digestive disorders, from common conditions to inflammatory condition
    8. Cancer, the physiology and effects of acupuncture related to both allopathic treatment and the condition itself
    9. Autoimmune conditions
    10. Arthritides and degenerative conditions
    11. Contagious diseases
    12. Reproductive and urinary disorders
    13. Mental dysfunctions and disorders
    14. Skin disorders
    15. Respiratory pathologies
    16. Special sense disorders
    17. Visceral disorders
    18. Hormonal disorders
    19. Medications, contraindications, untoward reactions and indications
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