
Acupuncture & TCM FAQ: Courses, CEUs, Books and More | AcuPro Academy
AcuPro Academy
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about learning TCM and acupuncture with AcuPro Academy. Can't find your answer? Reach out to Clara on Instagram or Facebook @acuproacademy or email Clara at acuproacademy@gmail.com.
About AcuPro Academy
Western medicine tends to focus on diagnosing and treating specific conditions or symptoms, often using pharmaceutical or surgical interventions. TCM, by contrast, looks for the root pattern of imbalance behind those symptoms. Two patients with the same Western diagnosis (say, insomnia) may receive completely different TCM treatments based on their individual patterns.
The two approaches are not opposites - many practitioners today successfully integrate both for better patient outcomes. AcuPro Academy's courses are designed to help practitioners bridge that gap confidently.
Clara also sends a weekly newsletter packed with content she does not share anywhere else - think real clinical case studies, free PDFs, TCM tips, and so much more. It is genuinely one of the best free resources in the TCM community. Sign up for the English newsletter here and the French newsletter here.
Courses
1. Is it approved by your licensing body? Always confirm the course is approved by your specific board (NCBAHM, CTCMA, BAcC, AACMA, etc.) before purchasing. AcuPro Academy courses are approved by all major boards.
2. Is it taught by a real clinician? Theory is easy to teach. What transforms your practice is learning from someone who has actually sat across from patients with complex cases. All AcuPro Academy instructors are licensed, experienced practitioners.
3. Does it bridge theory and clinic? The best CEU courses give you tools you can use the very next day - treatment protocols, case studies, point selection rationale, not just lecture slides.
4. Is the format flexible? Self-paced with lifetime access means you can actually revisit the material when a relevant case walks through your door.
5. Is there a community? Learning alongside other practitioners accelerates growth. AcuPro Academy includes access to a private TCM Facebook group with every premium course. Browse available courses at acupro-academy.mykajabi.com/store.
Books & PDFs
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe (French), Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion (French), Romania, Saint Barthélemy, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands (British).
Please note that Blurb may not be able to deliver to outlying regions not listed above (e.g., Canary Islands, Channel Islands). Local duties, customs, and taxes may apply and are the responsibility of the recipient upon delivery.
Exam Prep & Licensing
R.Ac (Registered Acupuncturist) is a practitioner licensed to perform acupuncture and make TCM diagnoses. In most Canadian provinces, this typically requires a 3-year diploma program covering acupuncture theory, point location, and supervised clinical hours.
DTCM (Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine) represents the highest level of TCM training. It typically requires a 4 to 5-year program and includes all areas of TCM practice: acupuncture, herbal medicine, TCM nutrition, and advanced diagnostics. In British Columbia, the DTCM designation allows practitioners to use the title "Doctor" within their scope of practice.
In other countries, titles vary: in the UK practitioners may be registered with the BAcC, in Australia with AACMA, and in the USA licensure is governed state by state with the NCBAHM overseeing national certification. Clara Cohen holds a DTCM and has been practicing and teaching since 2003 and 2008 respectively.
Canada: A Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac) diploma typically takes 3 years full-time. A DTCM (Doctor of TCM) takes 4 to 5 years. Programs include classroom study and supervised clinical hours.
USA: A Master's level program in acupuncture or Oriental Medicine typically takes 3 to 4 years. Graduates must then pass the NCBAHM national board exams to become licensed.
UK: Acupuncture degree programs are typically 3 years full-time. Practitioners can register with the BAcC upon graduation.
Australia: Most programs are 3 to 4 years and graduates register with AACMA.
After graduating, continuing education (CEUs/CPDs/PDAs) is required throughout your career to maintain your license. AcuPro Academy is here to support that journey at every stage - from student to seasoned practitioner.
Canada: Acupuncture is not covered by provincial health plans in most provinces, but many extended health benefit plans (through employers) do cover a set number of sessions per year with a registered practitioner. In British Columbia, ICBC covers up to 12 acupuncture sessions following a car accident.
UK: Acupuncture is available on the NHS in limited circumstances, primarily for chronic pain and certain musculoskeletal conditions. Most acupuncture is accessed privately.
USA: Coverage is growing. Medicare covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain. Many private insurers cover it, and coverage is expanding state by state. Practitioners are advised to check with individual insurers.
Australia: Acupuncture is not covered by Medicare but is covered by many private health funds under extras cover, when performed by a registered practitioner.
Always advise your patients to check their specific plan. As awareness of TCM grows globally, coverage continues to expand.
Clinical Practice & TCM Education
Free Resources & Podcast
Dry Needling vs Acupuncture
The simple version: dry needling is a trigger-point-focused needling technique used mainly for musculoskeletal pain. Acupuncture is a complete medical system with its own diagnostic framework, treatment logic, and whole-body approach that includes - but goes far beyond - trigger point work.
The acupuncturist's view (and Clara's) is that dry needling and acupuncture use the same needles, target the same anatomical points, and apply the same technique. Acupuncturists have been releasing trigger points and treating muscles and joints with needles for thousands of years. The term "dry needling" exists because practitioners who are not licensed acupuncturists cannot legally call what they do acupuncture - so a new name was created to allow non-acupuncturists to perform needling within their own scope of practice. From this perspective, dry needling is acupuncture applied in a narrower, more limited way.
The training gap is significant. Licensed acupuncturists complete a minimum of 3 to 5 years of full-time study, including at least 600 hours of hands-on needling training before graduating, plus 2,500 to 4,000 total hours of education. Dry needling practitioners typically receive between 24 and 100 hours of needle training, often over a weekend course. They are skilled professionals in their own fields - but the needle-specific training is not comparable.
The other side: physical therapy and sports medicine sources often describe dry needling as a distinct, evidence-based Western technique focused on myofascial trigger points, separate from TCM philosophy and meridian theory. Proponents argue it is a modern, targeted intervention for musculoskeletal pain and should be judged on its own terms.
A fair takeaway: dry needling is a symptom-focused technique that overlaps with one part of what acupuncturists do. Acupuncture is a broader clinical system that addresses pain, stress, digestion, sleep, hormonal health, and more - with a complete diagnostic process behind every treatment. The American Medical Association (AMA) has stated that dry needling is indistinguishable from acupuncture and recommends that training standards for dry needling should be benchmarked to those of a licensed acupuncturist.
The bottom line: if someone is putting needles in your body, you deserve to know exactly how many hours of training they have. A licensed acupuncturist is the most comprehensively trained needling professional you will find.
The difference is depth. A dry needling session typically focuses on the local site of pain. An acupuncturist can address the local pain and the underlying patterns contributing to it - whether that is poor circulation, chronic tension, hormonal imbalance, or stress - all within the same treatment.
If you are a practitioner who wants to deepen your musculoskeletal needling skills and learn advanced point combinations for the lower back, abdomen, hips, knees, ankles, and feet, Clara highly recommends the Acupuncture Musculoskeletal Manual courses taught by Dr. Rebecca Stephens (DrTCM, L.Ac.) at AcuPro Academy. Dr. Stephens brings years of specialized clinical experience directly to your screen.






