California acupuncturists, schools press board to raise entry degree and adopt doctor title

Members of the public, school presidents and professional associations urged the California Acupuncture Board Licensing Committee on June during public comment to raise the entry-level credential for acupuncturists to a doctoral degree and to adopt a clearer professional title.

Supporters said a doctorate would bring the profession into alignment with other health professions and improve public confidence. Philip Young, president of California University of Silicon Valley, said the doctorate would “raise our whole profession” and allow graduates to offer more advanced services such as neuroscience-informed care for conditions including migraines and Parkinson’s disease.

“Once our profession reach to that doctor level, everyone's a doctor, so they cannot have different, different divisions to see our profession,” Young said.

Several association leaders and school presidents made similar points. Lynn Yang, speaking for the American Association of Chinese Medicine and…