Acupuncturists
Overview
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
Diagnose, treat, and prevent disorders by stimulating specific acupuncture points within the body using acupuncture needles. May also use cups, nutritional supplements, therapeutic massage, acupressure, and other alternative health therapies.
Demand
Core Tasks
Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.
Develop individual treatment plans and strategies.
Identify correct anatomical and proportional point locations based on patients' anatomy and positions, contraindications, and precautions related to treatments, such as intradermal needles, moxibustion, electricity, guasha, or bleeding.
Insert needles to provide acupuncture treatment.
Collect medical histories and general health and lifestyle information from patients.
Treat patients using tools, such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, or nutritional supplements.
Analyze physical findings and medical histories to make diagnoses according to Oriental medicine traditions.
Educate patients on topics, such as meditation, ergonomics, stretching, exercise, nutrition, the healing process, breathing, or relaxation techniques.
Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
Assess patients' general physical appearance to make diagnoses.
Dispense herbal formulas and inform patients of dosages and frequencies, treatment duration, possible side effects, and drug interactions.
Maintain detailed and complete records of health care plans and prognoses.
Formulate herbal preparations to treat conditions considering herbal properties, such as taste, toxicity, effects of preparation, contraindications, and incompatibilities.
Apply heat or cold therapy to patients using materials, such as heat pads, hydrocollator packs, warm compresses, cold compresses, heat lamps, or vapor coolants.
Consider Western medical procedures in health assessment, health care team communication, and care referrals.
Evaluate treatment outcomes and recommend new or altered treatments as necessary to further promote, restore, or maintain health.
Treat medical conditions, using techniques such as acupressure, shiatsu, or tuina.
Apply moxibustion directly or indirectly to patients using Chinese, non-scarring, stick, or pole moxa.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Medicine and Dentistry
92%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Customer and Personal Service
83%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Therapy and Counseling
82%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Psychology
78%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Education and Training
73%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Sales and Marketing
73%
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
English Language
72%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administration and Management
65%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Biology
60%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Clerical
57%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
78%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
75%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness
75%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation
73%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making
70%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking
70%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
68%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring
65%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning
63%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving
63%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Top 10 Abilities
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Oral Comprehension
78%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
78%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Inductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Near Vision
75%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Written Comprehension
73%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
65%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Finger Dexterity
65%
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Speech Clarity
65%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
93%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
90%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
89%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Documenting/Recording Information
85%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information
85%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
85%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
84%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others
84%
Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Thinking Creatively
76%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
75%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Detailed Work Activities
Prepare medications or medical solutions.
Follow protocols or regulations for healthcare activities.
Record patient medical histories.
Advise patients on effects of health conditions or treatments.
Evaluate treatment options to guide medical decisions.
Treat patients using alternative medical procedures.
Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
Evaluate patient outcomes to determine effectiveness of treatments.
Prescribe treatments or therapies.
Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
Treat patients using physical therapy techniques.
Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.
Work Context
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
Education
Interests
Social
86%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic
77%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
72%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
34%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
29%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
24%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Top 10 Work Styles
Integrity
98%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability
92%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control
91%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attention to Detail
89%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Independence
80%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Adaptability/Flexibility
79%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Concern for Others
79%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Persistence
78%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Analytical Thinking
77%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Cooperation
74%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Work Values
Achievement
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions
65%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
