In California acupuncturists must be licensed to practice. The NCCA conducts a certification exam with both written and practical portions, including clean needle techniques. Ac, and are listed in the annual Directory of National Board Certified Acupuncturists. This is the largest membership organization for practitioners with over 1600 members. A member must have achieved diplomate status with the NCCA or is licensed by a state using equivalent criteria.
Training abroad can be intensive and create a broad base of techniques and knowledge to draw from.
As with choosing any health care provider, use your intuition and ask the important questions. If at any time during treatment you feel uncomfortable or have new questions, don't hesitate to bring them up. A caring practitioner will want to know how you are feeling and if you have any concerns. Remember they went into this field to be of service to you.