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Acupuncturists

SOC 29-1291.00Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers acupuncture clinical practice from supervised entry-level patient care through autonomous expert practice and organizational leadership across outpatient, integrative health, and academic medical settings.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Infection control policies and safety protocols — apply under clinical supervision to maintain a sterile treatment environment in an acupuncture practice setting.
  2. Patient medical histories and lifestyle information — collect using structured intake forms under the guidance of a licensed supervising acupuncturist.
  3. Acupuncture needles and supplementary tools such as cups and ear seeds — handle and prepare according to established sterilization and safety standards in a clinical setting.
  4. Anatomical point locations — identify on a standardized model and on patients using basic proportional measurement methods under direct supervision.
  5. Local, state, and federal regulations governing acupuncture practice — recognize and reference during supervised clinical rotations to ensure procedural compliance.
  6. Individual patient treatment plans — assist in drafting under the direction of a senior practitioner using intake data and established clinical protocols.
  7. Needle insertion technique — perform on supervised practice cases using correct angle, depth, and manipulation methods as prescribed by clinical instructors.
  8. Treatment outcome observations — document systematically in electronic medical software following each supervised patient session.
  9. Active listening and social perceptiveness skills — apply during patient consultations to capture verbal and nonverbal health cues in a supervised clinical environment.
  10. Reading comprehension and written communication — use to interpret clinical research, complete patient records, and draft referral correspondence under faculty oversight.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Standard quality and infection control procedures — implement independently and consistently across a full daily patient caseload in an established acupuncture clinic.
  2. Comprehensive medical histories and general health assessments — conduct autonomously using refined intake interviews and patient-reported data in routine outpatient settings.
  3. Acupuncture modalities including moxibustion, cupping, guasha, and electro-acupuncture — administer with reduced oversight, selecting tools appropriate to each patient's presentation.
  4. Anatomical and proportional point locations — identify accurately across diverse patient body types and positions, accounting for common contraindications in a community health context.
  5. Individual treatment plans — develop for patients with familiar condition profiles by integrating clinical findings, patient goals, and evidence-based acupuncture strategies.
  6. Treatment outcomes — evaluate at follow-up appointments and adjust point selection or modality to optimize therapeutic progress for routine cases.
  7. Regulatory compliance requirements at the local, state, and federal levels — monitor and apply to practice documentation and billing procedures in an independent or group practice.
  8. Time management and patient scheduling — coordinate across concurrent cases to sustain clinical throughput while maintaining individualized care quality.
  9. Critical thinking and judgment — exercise when distinguishing acupuncture-appropriate conditions from those requiring referral to other healthcare providers.
  10. Electronic medical and office suite software — use proficiently to maintain accurate patient records, generate reports, and support administrative functions in a clinical practice.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex, multi-system patient presentations — assess autonomously using advanced differential reasoning to design individualized, multi-modal acupuncture treatment strategies.
  2. Full-scope acupuncture treatment including needling, moxibustion, cupping, guasha, nutritional supplementation, and electrical stimulation — deliver across a broad patient population with no routine oversight.
  3. Contraindications and procedural precautions for all major acupuncture modalities — evaluate and apply to protect patient safety in non-routine and high-risk clinical scenarios.
  4. Longitudinal treatment outcome data — analyze across a patient panel using monitoring and inductive reasoning skills to refine protocols and validate therapeutic effectiveness.
  5. Evolving local, state, and federal regulatory landscapes — interpret and translate into updated clinical and administrative procedures to sustain full legal compliance.
  6. Patient education regarding acupuncture mechanisms, treatment rationale, and self-care strategies — deliver with clarity and cultural sensitivity in diverse outpatient environments.
  7. Complex problem-solving skills — apply to resolve unexpected adverse reactions or treatment plateaus by synthesizing biomedical and traditional East Asian medicine knowledge.
  8. Interdisciplinary communication — lead with physicians, physical therapists, and mental health providers to coordinate integrative care plans for patients with comorbid conditions.
  9. Active learning and reading comprehension — employ to integrate emerging clinical research and continuing education into evidence-informed daily practice.
  10. Practice management systems and electronic health record platforms — optimize to improve clinical workflow, outcome tracking, and compliance reporting across a busy independent practice.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organizational clinical quality and safety standards — establish and continuously improve at the practice or institutional level, setting the benchmark for acupuncture care delivery.
  2. Strategic treatment frameworks and clinical protocols — design and disseminate across a multi-provider acupuncture organization to standardize and elevate patient outcomes.
  3. Mentorship and clinical supervision — provide to emerging and developing acupuncturists, fostering competency growth, ethical practice, and professional identity formation.
  4. Regulatory policy development — contribute expert input to state licensing boards, professional associations, and legislative processes shaping the scope of acupuncture practice.
  5. Advanced research literacy and evidence synthesis — apply to lead evidence-based practice initiatives, evaluate outcomes at a population level, and publish or present clinical findings.
  6. Integrative healthcare program leadership — direct the design, implementation, and evaluation of acupuncture services within hospital systems, academic medical centers, or large group practices.
  7. Organizational culture of patient-centered care, integrity, and clinical dependability — model and instill through leadership presence, performance standards, and continuing education requirements.
  8. Business development and financial sustainability — oversee practice economics, including billing compliance, payer negotiations, and marketing strategy, to ensure long-term organizational viability.
  9. Curriculum design and education — develop graduate-level acupuncture training programs and continuing education offerings that align with current O*NET competency standards and accreditation requirements.
  10. Systemwide complex problem resolution — lead multidisciplinary teams in addressing high-stakes clinical, ethical, or operational challenges that exceed individual practitioner scope.

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Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Show O*NET source anchors54 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Acupressure Therapist · Acupressurist · Acupuncture Doctor · Acupuncture Physician · Acupuncture Provider · Acupuncturist · Auricular Acupuncturist · Auricular Detoxification Specialist · Auricular Therapist · Chinese Medical Doctor (Chinese MD) · Chinese Medicine Doctor · Herbalist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingMonitoringReading ComprehensionWritingActive LearningCoordinationTime Management
Knowledge domains
Customer and Personal ServiceMedicine and DentistryPsychologyBiologyEnglish LanguageTherapy and CounselingAdministrativeAdministration and ManagementEducation and TrainingSales and MarketingEconomics and Accounting
Abilities
Problem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningNear VisionOral ComprehensionOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionInductive ReasoningSpeech ClarityWritten ExpressionFinger Dexterity
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityEmpathyCautiousnessIntegritySincerity
Technology
Medical softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail softwareOperating system softwareWord processing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
  2. Treat patients using tools, such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, or nutritional supplements.
  3. Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.
  4. 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.
  5. Develop individual treatment plans and strategies.
  6. Insert needles to provide acupuncture treatment.
  7. Evaluate treatment outcomes and recommend new or altered treatments as necessary to further promote, restore, or maintain health.
  8. Collect medical histories and general health and lifestyle information from patients.
CIP education codes
51.3301

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.