Course Overview
The Acupuncture Course Track is presented in 2 online and 3 hybrid sessions with on-site portions.
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 Rustenburg for the on-site portions, you’ll gather with classmates in small lab groups allowing you to locate and discuss acupuncture points on live animals. These acupuncture point labs are facilitated by instructors certified in acupuncture and allow for personalized instruction.
Major Topics
With a curriculum designed for students new to acupuncture, the Mixed Practice 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-Fu Physiology and Pathology, Meridians and Channels
- The scientific basis of acupuncture
- 122 canine and 185 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
Additional Benefits
Once enrolled for the Acupuncture Certification Track at Chi, you will receive:
- Complimentary canine and 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 40 hours of hands-on learning in 212 total hours of hybrid courses
Learn from Dr. Xie, the master of veterinary acupuncture
Study 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
A worthwhile course and a good investment.
Tanya Grantham, BVSC
Benoni, South Africa
Great course, absolutely no regrets attending and highly recommended.
Alicia Chow, BVSc
Gaborone, Botswana
The course was excellent. The theory was explained magnificently! It has filled me with enthusiasm and excitement. I can't wait to learn more.
Louise Biggs, BVSc
Swartberg, South Africa
It was an incredible amount of information in a short time but was very rich and excellent value for money.
Kerry French, BVSc
Bryanston, South Africa
Very interesting. Gained much more from the course than I thought I would.
Alma Kerr, BVMS
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Veterinary Acupuncture Certification Track
Taught in English
For veterinarians & veterinary students only
30 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Points
Curriculum
Session 1
Course Introduction and History of Veterinary Acupuncture
1h
What is Acupuncture?
1h
Veterinary Acupuncture: Scientific Basis
2h
Yin-Yang
1h
Eight Principles
1h
Five Elements
2h
Zang-Fu Physiology
2h
Channels and Meridians
2h
General Rules of Acupuncture
4h
Indications for Veterinary Acupuncture
2h
How to Start your Acupuncture Practice: Cookbook (Small Animal)
1h
How to Start your Acupuncture Practice: Cookbook (Equine)
1h
How to Integrate Acupuncture into Your Practice (Small Animal)
1h
How to Integrate Acupuncture into your Practice (Equine)
1h
Anatomy for Acupuncturists (Small Animal)
1h
Anatomy for Acupuncturists (Equine)
1h
Session 2
Mix Practice Point Lab
12h
Tutoring, Real Case Demo, and Question and Answer
4h
Five Elements and Zang-Fu Physiology
2h
Five-shu Transporting Points
2h
Other Special Points
1h
TCVM Diagnosis Intro
1h
Demo - How to Treat Canine Diseases
2h
How to Treat Gastrointestinal Disorders (Small Animal)
2h
How to Treat Respiratory Disorders (Small Animal)
2h
How to Treat Bi/Wei Syndromes (Small Animal)
1h
Demo - Canine Acupuncture Cases (Small Animal)
2h
Acupuncture Needling Techniques (Equine)
2h
Treating Equine Musculoskeletal Issues
2h
Demo - Equine Lab Case
2h
Session 3
Five Treasures: 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
1h
Dry Lab - How to Make a TCVM Diagnosis (Small Animal)
2h
Acupuncture for Neurological Disorders (Small Animal)
2h
How to Approach Clinical Cases (Small Animal)
1h
How to Improve Acupuncture Results (Small Animal)
2h
Small Animal Cases: TCVM Approach
3h
Equine Acupuncture Techniques
1h
Acupuncture for Equine Lameness
3h
Equine Special Conditions
2h
How to Approach Clinical Cases (Equine)
1h
How to Improve Acupuncture Results (Equine)
1h
Dry Lab - Lameness and Internal Medicine Studies (Equine)
1h
Session 4
Mix Point Lab
12h
Tutoring, Real Case Demo, and Question and Answer
4h
Review from Sessions 1-3
1h
How to Treat Renal Failure
1h
How to Treat Heart Failure
1h
How to Treat Behavioral Problems
1h
Introduction to Herbal Medicine
2h
Introduction to Food Therapy
1h
Acupuncture for the Liver (Small Animal)
2h
How to Treat Skin Problems (Small Animal)
2h
Acupuncture for Cancer (Small Animal)
2h
Feline Acupuncture
2h
Case Studies from Students (Small Animal)
1h
Avian Acupuncture
2h
Exotic Animal Acupuncture
1h
How to Treat GI Disorders (Equine)
2h
How to Treat Respiratory Problems (Equine)
2h
How to Treat Bi and Wei Syndrome (Equine)
1h
Acupuncture for Sports Medicine (Equine)
1h
Understanding Herbal Medicine (Equine)
1h
How to Start Your Herbal Practice (Equine)
1h
How to Treat Cushing's Disease (Equine)
1h
How to Treat Other Endocrine Disorders (Equine)
1h
How to Treat Liver Problems (Equine)
1h
Acupuncture for Skin Diseases (Equine)
1h
Session 5
Mix Point Lab
8h
Tutoring, Real Case Demo, and Question and Answer
4h
Review of Sessions 1-4
1h
Acupuncture for Endocrine Disorder
2h
Acupuncture for Immune-Mediated Diseases
2h
Clinical Applications of TCVM (Small Animal)
2h
Introduction to Tui-na (Small Animal)
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
TCVM Overview
1h
How to Sell TCVM
1h
Tui-na Applications (Equine)
1h
Introduction to Food Therapy (Equine)
1h
How to Treat Reproductive Disorders (Equine)
1h
Acupuncture for Bovines, Caprines, and Camelids
1h
CVA 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 final written exam in the final on-site session with a score above 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.
Instructors
Roselle Hartwigsen
BVSc, CVA
Dr. Roselle Hartwigsen qualified as a veterinarian from the University of Pretoria in 2011. Thereafter she was certified as a Veterinary Acupuncturist in 2013 from the Chi Institute Europe. She spent the next couple of years working in private practice, integrating complimentary medicine especially acupuncture when treating patients. Her clients are found in South Africa, Botswana and Dubai. In 2016 she spent a year treating horses exclusively and bringing veterinary acupuncture to the horse racing industry in Gauteng.
Dr Roselle has a passion for integrating complimentary veterinary medicine into daily veterinary care in South Africa. One way she tries to achieve this is by teaching veterinarians through the Complimentary Veterinary Medicine Group of South Africa (CVMG) and the Chi Institute.
Huisheng Xie
DVM, PhD
Dr. Xie has 38 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
Elize van Vollenhoven
BVSc, LLB, PhD, CCRP, CVA
Dr. van Vollenhoven received a veterinary degree at the University of Pretoria (South Africa) in 1992, a law degree in 2007 (UNISA – University of South Africa) and a PhD (measuring the stress in teaching horses during student transrectal palpation practicals using non-invasive methods namely salivary and faecal cortisol as well as heart rate variability) in 2018. She worked for 18 years as a State Veterinarian, dealing especially with law/legislative issues, before joining the University of Pretoria as a lecturer in Ethology (horse behaviour, nutrition and welfare) as well as Law and Ethics in 2010-2017. She was a member of the Animal Ethics Committee of the University of Pretoria and (2016-12019). She is also a member of ISAE's (International Society for Applied Ethology) ethics committee and a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist as well as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner.
Sarah Peters
BVSc, CVA
Dr. Peters first became interested in TCVM after her own dog became very ill. Western medicine had reached its limits and she faced the probability of having to euthanize him. Out of desperation, she gave TCVM a try and much to her surprise, it made all the difference.
Afterwards, she travelled to the USA to attend the Chi Institute and became certified in acupuncture. Since, it has been an extremely rewarding and exciting journey both practicing and teaching acupuncture. In the future she would like to see corroboration with conventional vets. She believes eastern and western medicine can harmoniously work side by side, and our pets deserve the best of both worlds.
Enrollment options
No semesters currently available
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to take acupuncture classes in a prescribed order or can I start at any time?
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.