An Acupuncturist is a person who practices acupuncture professionally. Acupuncturists may practice other modalities in traditional Chinese medicine as well, or may be medical acupuncturists, who are trained in allopathic medicine but also practice acupuncture in a simplified form. Acupuncturists who are not Western medical practitioners usually complete three or four years of acupuncture school. Licensure is regulated by the state or province in many countries, and often requires passage of a board exam.
Abbreviations for acupuncturist include "L.Ac." which stands for Licensed Acupuncturist, "M.Ac." which refers to a Master's degree in acupuncture, "M.S.Ac." which refers to a Master's of Science in acupuncture, "O.M.D." which means Oriental Medical Doctor, and "Dipl. Ac." which refers to a diplomate in acupuncture--completion of a program which did not issue a degree.
