Acupuncture

Veterinary Acupuncture Certificate Professional Enhancement Program

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What does the Veterinary Acupuncture program consist of?

• The certificate program consists of 5 sections for a total of 132 hours of supervised training.
• Sections 1, 3, and 4 are ONLINE-LIVE, and sections 2 and 5 are in person (face-to-face). Each section will be from Wednesday to Sunday, with the webinar times from 8 AM to 12 Noon daily.
• The face-to-face sections are as follows: Wed (1:00 – 6:30/700PM), Thu/Fri/Sat (8:00 AM—12:00 Noon, 1:00 – 6:30/7:00 PM), and Sun (8:00 AM—12:00 Noon).
• Extensive hands-on clinical practicums with no required additional externships, minimizing time away from your practice and family. 
• Species: Canine and Equine.
• Small class size, with personalized supervised attention.
• Excellent student-to-faculty ratio, providing a better learning environment.
• A comprehensive program built on the fundamentals consistent with the practice of Acupuncture in the United States of America and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
• Classes start

BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE PROGRAM

Some of the topics to be covered during each individual section include, but are not limited to:

Section ONE – Online LIVE

• Introduction to Foundations of Chinese Medicine
• Types of Qi
• Qi/Blood/Shen.
• Qi formation.
• Blood formation.
• Five Element correspondences.
• Sheng cycle.
• K’o cycle.
• Introductory ideas of channels, points, point functions, and history.
• Introduction to formulas for Qi, Blood and Shen.

Section TWO: Face-to-face

• Emphasis on clinical hands-on practicums utilizing models, specimens, and canine and equine patients.
• Review of relevant anatomy.
• Presentation of channels and points on both canine and equine patients.
• Pulse diagnosis.
• Tongue diagnosis.
• Needling technique.
• Improvement of palpation skills.

Section THREE and FOUR: Online LIVE

• These Sections will form the basis of understanding diagnosis, pathology, and treatment strategies from a Chinese Medicine point of view.
• Expansion on point functions and its categories.
• Causes of disease.
• 8 principles
• 4 inspections.
• Patterns.
• Five Element clearings, and treatments.
• Pain.
• Channel theory.
• Treatment planning.

Section FIVE: Face-to-face

• Initial evaluation of students’ skills on Wednesday.
• Thursday and Friday will emphasize hands-on activities and instruction to address students’ strengths and weaknesses.
• Final, practical evaluations on Saturday.
• Additional topics include Guasha, E-Stim, B-12 injection of points, scanning the horse, and moxa.

As this program is a hybrid postgraduate program, students must:

• Set time aside to study, complete the required reading assignments, and review daily.
• Practice at home.
• As you will need to view videos online, a high-speed internet connection and a computer (with a camera and microphone) are required.
• Although not required, we may schedule synchronous educational webinars to help students integrate and provide interaction.
• All attendees will receive Continuing Education contact hours for attending the Modules provided by the AHVMA, an AVMA-HOD-recognized organization.

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Faculty members include:

• Daniel Halden, DC, MAc, LAc, Dipl.Ac (NCCAOM), PAK, CAC, CVMRT
• Lynne Dennis, DVM, CVA, FAAVA, CVSMT, CVMRT
• Victoria Gnadt, DVM, CVSMT, CVA
• Michelle Rivera, MT, VDT
• Pedro Rivera, DVM, FACFN, DACVSMR, FCoAC
• Among others.

    There is a maximum of twenty (20) students per class, and we will try to keep a maximum ratio of 3 or 4 (three or four) students to one (1) faculty for clinical hands-on. Each student must present two (2) cases in a SOAP format during Modules IV or V to the program director for evaluation.  Please consult your syllabus or the Main Catalog for further information.

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2026 Dates

• Module I: Sept 16th – 20th, 2026 (Virtual-Live)
  Module II: Oct 14th – 18th, 2026 (Face-to-Face attendance)
  Module III: Dec 9th – 13th, 2026 (Virtual-Live)
  Module IV: Jan 6th – 10th, 2027 (Virtual-Live)
  Module V: Feb 3rd – 7th, 2027 (Face-to-Face attendance)

VAcu Application Form School Catalog

Benefits to all successful graduates of the Healing Oasis Wellness Center:

• Receive unlimited access to consultations with the program director
• Will be listed in our “Find a Graduate/Alumni” section
• Will have access to the “ALUMNI” section of the VSMT postgraduate state-approved program, which contains all of the movies (explanations & techniques) seen during the program.
• Receives a percentage discount for continuing education seminars and our yearly conference, and a 10% discount if they would like to register for or send their veterinary associates or credentialed veterinary technicians to the VMRT Postgraduate Program.

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To all applicants: The Healing Oasis Wellness Center attempts to offer the programs as announced. However, the HOWC reserves the right to adjust program faculty, location, dates, times, and tuition to accommodate unanticipated circumstances. The HOWC is not responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of program adjustments or cancellations.

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