Veterinary Acupuncture Certification Track

Learn all the tools you need to fully integrate acupuncture into your practice

United States
Equine
English
Chi Main Campus in Reddick, FL
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Program Overview

The Acupuncture Course Track is presented in 3 online and 2 on-site sessions.

During the online portions, you’ll overview the theories and frameworks needed for diagnosis and treatment of acupuncture patients. You then explore these frameworks more practically in recorded demos on live patients.

When you come to the Main Campus for the on-site portions, you’ll gather with classmates in live lectures on treating specific conditions, building on top of the online lectures. After an included catered lunch, you then split up into smaller lab groups allowing you to locate and discuss acupuncture points on live animals facilitated by instructors certified in acupuncture.

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Major Topics

With a curriculum designed for students new to acupuncture, the Equine Acupuncture Program provides a comprehensive mix of both theory and practice. You will learn:

  • Frameworks used in acupuncture: Five Elements, Yin-Yang, Eight Principles, Zang-FuPhysiology and Pathology, Meridians and Channels
  • The scientific basis of acupuncture
  • 256 equine acupuncture points on live animals
  • Acupuncture techniques: electro-acupuncture, aqua-acupuncture, moxibustion, and dry needling
  • TCVM diagnostic systems: patient personality, tongue and pulse diagnosis, and client inquiry
  • How to integrate acupuncture into your practice
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Additional Benefits

Once enrolled for the Acupuncture Certification Track at Chi, you will receive:

  • Complimentary equine acupoint chart
  • Complimentary 32-hour Evidence-Based Veterinary Acupuncture Course
  • 1-year complimentary membership with the World Association of TCVM (WATCVM)
  • Free lifetime case consultation by Chi faculty

Program Features

Enjoy the convenience of online learning with 20 hours of virtual lab learning in 138 total hours of hybrid courses

Learn from Dr. Xie, the master of veterinary acupuncture

29 hours of intensive hands on learning with live animals in small lab groups capped at 6 students for every instructor

Start practicing acupuncture on patients after the first on-site session

Earn up to 25% of future master's degree credit per experiential learning

What our students have to say

Amy Munsterman, DVM

This course provided the most information, provided in a logical manner, I have ever taken away from a conference!

Amy Munsterman, DVM

Notasulga, AL

Tai Curry, DVM

It was so exciting to learning something new so quickly out of school. I now have a true advantage in my diagnostic skills and treatment options. This is awesome!

Tai Curry, DVM

Brandon, MS

Dinah Skorich, DVM

Excellent course. The instructors taught in a way to help us wrap our heads around a new type of medicine.

Dinah Skorich, DVM

Wallkill, NY

Jaime Horner, DVM

I thought it was well organized and the subject matter had a nice flow to it. I liked the lectures being in the morning with the afternoon for labs.

Jaime Horner, DVM

Califon, NJ

Helen Kwong, DVM

I genuinely felt that all the instructors wanted to impart their knowledge to the students and for us to succeed.

Helen Kwong, DVM

Black Creek, BC, Canada

Veterinary Acupuncture Certification Track

Taught in English

For veterinarians & veterinary students only

122 RACE-approved CE hours

Curriculum

Introduction to Whole Program and History of Veterinary Acupuncture

1h

What is Acupuncture

1h

Veterinary Acupuncture: Scientific Basis

2h

Basic TCVM Theories - Yin Yang

1h

Eight Principles and Bian Zheng

1 h

Five Elements

2h

Zang-Fu Physiology

2h

Channels and Meridians

2h

Top 15 Equine Acupoints and Its Clinical Applications

1h

General Rules of Acupuncture

4h

Indications for Veterinary Acupuncture

2h

How to Start your Acupuncture Practice: Cookbook

1h

How to Integrate Acupuncture into your Practice

1h

EQ Anatomy for Acupuncturists

1h

Five Elements and Zang Fu physiology

1h

Introduction to TCVM Diagnosis

1h

Five-shu Transporting Points, Source Points, Back-shu & Front-mu Points, Influential Points

2h

Other Special Points and Clinical Application

2h

How to Practice Acupuncture in Horses

1h

Equine Musculoskeletal Case Studies

1h

TCVM for Equine Lameness

1h

Acupuncture for Tendons and Cervical Disorders

1h

Acupuncture for Neurological Disease and Back Pain

1h

Acupuncture for Forelimb and Hind Limb Lameness

1h

Equine Point Lab

16h

Five Treasure: Qi, Blood, Shen, Jing, Body Fluid Physiology and Pathology

4h

TCVM Diagnosis

4h

Eight Extraordinary Channels

2h

Etiology and Pathology

2h

How to Select Acupoints

2h

Equine Acupuncture Techniques

1h

Acupuncture for Equine Lameness

2h

Acupuncture for Neck & Back Pain

1h

Acupuncture for Tendon/ligament, Shoulder, Hip, Stifle and Hock Pain

1h

Equine Special Conditions

2h

How to Approach Clinical Cases

1h

How to Improve Acupuncture Results

1h

Dry-lab Lameness and Internal Medicine Case Studies

1h

Bubble Chart Review

1h

A Quick Review from Sessions 1 to 3

1h

How to Treat Urinary and Cardiovascular Disorders

1h

How to Treat Behavioral Problems

1h

How to Treat GI Disorders

2h

How to Treat Respiratory Problems

2h

How to Treat Bi and Wei Syndrome

1h

Acupuncture for Sports Medicine

1h

How to Understand Herbal Medicine

1h

How to Start Your Herbal Practice

1h

How to Treat Cushing’s Disease

1h

How to Treat Other Endocrine Disorders

1h

Acupuncture for Liver Diseases

1h

Acupuncture for Skin Diseases

1h

Liver Physiology and Pathology

1h

Lung Physiology and Pathology

1h

Spleen Physiology and Pathology

1h

Heart Physiology and Pathology

1h

Kidney Physiology and Pathology

1h

How to Approach an Equine Case

1h

Virtual Clarification of Acupoints and Acupuncture Techniques(EQ)

3h

Equine Point Lab

8h

CVA course-Review

3h

How to Treat Reproductive Disorders

1h

How to Practice Equine TCVM for Profit and Pleasure

1h

Acupuncture for Bovines, Caprines and Camelids

1h

Intro to Food Therapy

1h

Intro to Tui-na

1h

Equine Point Lab

12h

Cross Promotion

Certification

Students of the Veterinary Acupuncture program are eligible for the Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist certification endorsed by Chi University and the World Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (WATCVM). The CVA certification requirements are as follows:

  • Complete all sessions of the program

  • Pass three online quizzes with scores above 75%

  • Pass the written exam proctored online after the final session with a score over 75%

  • Pass the clinical acupoint exam in the final on-site session with a score above 75%

  • Submit one veterinary acupuncture case report to be approved

  • Complete 30 hours of advanced TCVM program training or internship with a certified veterinary acupuncturist

Please note that Chi cannot issue any certification to veterinary students until their DVM or equivalent has been obtained.

See the documents needed for certification here

Textbooks

TCVM: Fundamental Principles

by Huisheng Xie and Vanessa Preast

Xie's Veterinary Acupuncture

by Huisheng Xie and Vanessa Preast

Instructors

Dr. Xie has 41 years of clinical, teaching, and research experience in veterinary acupuncture and TCVM. He has trained over 10,000 veterinarians to practice TCVM worldwide. Dr. Xie’s education includes advanced training in veterinary medicine, veterinary acupuncture, and human acupuncture. Dr. Xie has authored 20 books and over 100 peer-reviewed papers. His textbooks, including Xie’s Veterinary Herbology, Xie’s Veterinary Acupuncture, and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine-Fundamental Principles, have been used for TCVM training programs around the world. Dr. Xie continues to teach and develop educational courses and programs at Chi University, serves as a full clinical professor at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and is an honorary professor at China Agricultural University, South China Agricultural University, and China Southwest University.

Read more

Dr. Langlois is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1981. He has been an equine practitioner in Marion County, Florida for the past 32 years, where he established his own practice in 1983 with an emphasis on reproductive medicine, lameness diagnostics, and surgery. He has received advanced training in veterinary acupuncture, Chinese veterinary herbal medicine, and veterinary Tui-na massage. He has been practicing for over 30 years and has been using Chinese medicine and spinal manipulation successfully for over 10 years enjoying treating at many of the prestigious thoroughbred farms in Marion County, FL.

Dr. Pasteur grew up showing horses in many disciplines, including reining, saddleseat, dressage and pleasure. She graduated in 1991 from the University of Wisconsin and opened an equine exclusive clinic in Green Bay. The practice grew to cover five counties, with emphases on reproduction and lameness. She received her acupuncture training from IVAS in 1997, sold her conventional practice and began an equine alternative practice. She has been a Chi instructor since 2005 and has lectured internationally. Her current practice encompasses TCVM, veterinary medical manipulation and osteopathy, focusing on sport and performance horses.

Dr. Clemmons graduated with his DVM from Washington State University. There, he also was granted a PhD in veterinary science (emphasis in neurophysiology and clinical neurology). Dr. Clemmons then took a faculty position at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine where he practiced neurology and neurosurgery for 35 years before joining the private Veterinary Specialty Hospitals in Florida. Dr. Clemmons, a board-certified specialist in Neurology, has published over 100 peer-reviewed original studies, reviews, papers and abstracts and given numerous presentations, both in the US and abroad. At UF, he has had an active research program and is known for his work on platelet physiology and in the study of neurodegenerative diseases such as degenerative myelopathy. He has developed a number of innovative neurosurgical techniques including fixation of atlantoaxial subluxation and Wobbler’s syndrome. Dr. Clemmons taught veterinary and graduate students at the University of Florida for 35 years. Dr. Clemmons became a certified veterinary acupuncturist (CVA) at Chi in 2000. He was certified in TCVM Food therapy (CVFT) from Chi in 2009. He integrates Veterinary Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, and nutrition into his practice. He is a national and international speaker in the field of neurology and the science of veterinary acupuncture.

Dr. Allison Faber Marshall graduated from University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995 and moved to Virginia into general equine practice. She opened Full Circle Veterinary Services, PC in 2005 after becoming a Certified Veterinary Spinal Manipulation Therapy (CVSMT) through Healing Oasis Wellness Center and a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA) through Chi University where she also trained in veterinary herbal medicine, food therapy, and tui-na, culminating in completion of a Master’s of Science in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Marshall served on the AAEP ethics committee from 2010-2013. She has been an instructor at Chi since 2010. Her busy practice is limited to equine alternative therapies in Virginia and Maryland, and she enjoys a large variety of sport horses and beloved friend as patients. She has 3 grown children, and is an avid surfer, knitter, yarn spinner, gardener, and works to keep her many interests and profession in balance.

Dr. Terri Rosado holds certifications in all Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine branches. As an Assistant Professor at Chi University and the medical director of Chi Animal Hospital, Dr. Rosado is passionate about education, offering externships to Chi and veterinary school students, and inviting volunteers to experience small animal veterinary practice.

Enrollment Options

Semester

Spring 2025

Schedule & Tuition

Session 1 includes the $100 application fee.

Session 1
Session 2

Location

Location of class
Chi Main Campus

9650 W Hwy 318

Reddick, FL 32686

Hotel & accommodation recommendations

Thursday, February 6, 2025

7:45 AM

Check-in begins

Sunday, February 9, 2025

1:00 PM

Class Ends

Session 3
Session 4
Session 5

Location

Location of class
Chi Main Campus

9650 W Hwy 318

Reddick, FL 32686

Hotel & accommodation recommendations

Thursday, June 5, 2025

7:45 AM

Check-in begins

Saturday, June 7, 2025

6:30 PM

Class ends

Optional Acupuncture Review

Payment Information

A $250.00 non-refundable course deposit is charged upon enrollment to reserve your seat.

Payment is due 60 days before the start date of each session, course, or event.

Add-ons

Printed Binders

$50.00 / on-site

Required Textbooks

$340.00

Frequently Asked Questions

You must start at session one and continue along in order. If you have mitigating circumstances, you will have to defer all following sessions until the next semester.