FAQ: License
In order to practice acupuncture in the State of California, you need to have a state license and take a state licensing exam. In order to take the exam, you must study 2,348 hours or more at an acupuncture school that is credentialed by the State Acupuncture Board or study 2,850 hours of theory and practice with a tutor who has been credentialed by the State Acupuncture Board. I will now address the situation when an acupuncturist who is licensed in Japan takes the state test here in California.
In most situations, acupuncturists who have graduated from acupuncture schools in Japan have not been trained in Chinese herbal medicines, and thus they must consult with an approved/credentialed California school and take the necessary classes they lack. Therefore, it is necessary for the person to come to California one time to select a school, interview, do the entrance procedures, then return back to Japan and go to the US embassy or consulate and get a student visa. The acupuncture schools here are not like the ones in Japan and you need to have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent schooling in order to enter the Master’s or Ph.D. program. At the time of admission to the school, you will need to present a notarized English (Japanese is NOT acceptable) grade transcript from your acupuncture school in Japan.
You can take the state licensing exam in English, Chinese, or Korean. Until the early 1990’s, the exam was offered in Japanese as well, but due to declining numbers of Japanese examinees, it was stopped. There is the possibility that the test may once again be offered in Japanese if 5% or more the examinees request a Japanese-language exam. Since about 600 people usually take the exam, 5% of this means that only 30 people need to request a Japanese exam. How about it—why don’t you come to California and take the test?
For more information, please check out the Acupuncture Board homepage: www.acupuncture.ca.gov