I mean, I think there are some acupuncturists who genuinely don't want the competition. In POCA Tech's case, though, and for some community acupuncture clinics, we're all painfully aware that we were under-informed about how challenging it is to embrace acupuncture as a career, and we were over-sold on "it's a growing profession!" (it's not) so we lean pretty hard in the opposite direction. It's like, "if you've heard all the warnings and you STILL want to do it, okay, fingers crossed you're prepared for the difficulties". I think to be happy as an acupuncturist, including a community acupuncturist, you have to kind of enjoy obstacles, because there are so many of them. And if it's an option to get 5NP certified first, that's actually a really great idea, because then you can find out if you like needling people -- with a lot less time, trouble, and commitment.
"I think there are some acupuncturists who genuinely don't want the competition." <-- That explains a lot.
Okay, hear me out. Acupuncture is really not the only contracting profession. Licensed massage therapists last about 5 years on average before leaving the field due to injury or financial insolvency. There are about 1 million licensed RNs who left the bedside due to violence, burnout, &tc &tc, the nursing shortage is a fallacy, the healthcare system is collapsing.
When I wanted to go to nursing school, I talked to nurses. They were realistic, but overall encouraging. Same with massage therapy. Same with other distressed fields I've worked in. What I am describing about talking to acupuncturists is unique, and not in a good way.
Why not just make school more accessible? Why not remove barriers? Does it matter how dedicated someone is? If they make it through the program, paying their way and learning what they wanted to learn, who cares what they do after graduating? If someone who already works in a field that sticks needles into people wants to add acupuncture to their skillset, why is that a problem?
Edited to add: The defensiveness and obstacles to entry make sense in terms of acupuncture as an industry that was designed to cater to the upper middle class. Like gaining acceptance to medical school, eliminating potential candidates is how the profession maintains its elitist image. Dear acupuncturists: You're just as special as the rest of us. Your industry is collapsing because the entire world is collapsing. Instead of fighting over who's more dedicated and worthy of pursuing acupuncture education, why don't we make folk medicine more accessible? Everyone wins. Who should apply to acupuncture school? Anyone who wants to.
Re: what the prospective student wrote a few years ago about being discouraged: this seems to be A Thing with acupuncturists.
I have worked in a variety of healthcare settings, and each time I disclose an interest in studying acupuncture to someone in that industry, it's met with defensive, discouraging remarks. Are acupuncturists really this insecure, that they're threatened by someone wanting to join their ranks? I am honestly flummoxed. When I spoke to the manager of a potential away clinic affiliated with POCA, their immediate response was to tell me not to study acupuncture, but to get 5NP certification instead. It's like there's this sincere belief that putting up obstacles and discouraging students is how to, I don't know, weed people out? Why are you trying to weed people out? It reminds me of organic chemistry, "this is how we weed out potential medical students". Great, now we're in a protracted provider shortage.
I mean, I think there are some acupuncturists who genuinely don't want the competition. In POCA Tech's case, though, and for some community acupuncture clinics, we're all painfully aware that we were under-informed about how challenging it is to embrace acupuncture as a career, and we were over-sold on "it's a growing profession!" (it's not) so we lean pretty hard in the opposite direction. It's like, "if you've heard all the warnings and you STILL want to do it, okay, fingers crossed you're prepared for the difficulties". I think to be happy as an acupuncturist, including a community acupuncturist, you have to kind of enjoy obstacles, because there are so many of them. And if it's an option to get 5NP certified first, that's actually a really great idea, because then you can find out if you like needling people -- with a lot less time, trouble, and commitment.
"I think there are some acupuncturists who genuinely don't want the competition." <-- That explains a lot.
Okay, hear me out. Acupuncture is really not the only contracting profession. Licensed massage therapists last about 5 years on average before leaving the field due to injury or financial insolvency. There are about 1 million licensed RNs who left the bedside due to violence, burnout, &tc &tc, the nursing shortage is a fallacy, the healthcare system is collapsing.
When I wanted to go to nursing school, I talked to nurses. They were realistic, but overall encouraging. Same with massage therapy. Same with other distressed fields I've worked in. What I am describing about talking to acupuncturists is unique, and not in a good way.
Why not just make school more accessible? Why not remove barriers? Does it matter how dedicated someone is? If they make it through the program, paying their way and learning what they wanted to learn, who cares what they do after graduating? If someone who already works in a field that sticks needles into people wants to add acupuncture to their skillset, why is that a problem?
Edited to add: The defensiveness and obstacles to entry make sense in terms of acupuncture as an industry that was designed to cater to the upper middle class. Like gaining acceptance to medical school, eliminating potential candidates is how the profession maintains its elitist image. Dear acupuncturists: You're just as special as the rest of us. Your industry is collapsing because the entire world is collapsing. Instead of fighting over who's more dedicated and worthy of pursuing acupuncture education, why don't we make folk medicine more accessible? Everyone wins. Who should apply to acupuncture school? Anyone who wants to.
Re: what the prospective student wrote a few years ago about being discouraged: this seems to be A Thing with acupuncturists.
I have worked in a variety of healthcare settings, and each time I disclose an interest in studying acupuncture to someone in that industry, it's met with defensive, discouraging remarks. Are acupuncturists really this insecure, that they're threatened by someone wanting to join their ranks? I am honestly flummoxed. When I spoke to the manager of a potential away clinic affiliated with POCA, their immediate response was to tell me not to study acupuncture, but to get 5NP certification instead. It's like there's this sincere belief that putting up obstacles and discouraging students is how to, I don't know, weed people out? Why are you trying to weed people out? It reminds me of organic chemistry, "this is how we weed out potential medical students". Great, now we're in a protracted provider shortage.