Traditional chinese medicine therapist

About this occupation

Traditional Chinese medicine therapists use alternative medicine approaches to cure illnesses in all its forms. They also use various therapies such as the use of herbal medicines, acupuncture, massages and dietary therapies, to increase the general health of the patient and to prevent a disease from occurring.

A specialisation of complementary therapist.

• Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
• Treat patients using tools, such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, or nutritional supplements.
• Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.
• 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.
• Develop individual treatment plans and strategies.
• Insert needles to provide acupuncture treatment.

Typical education (US)

Master's Degree

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

Interests

Social, Investigative, Realistic

Top skills: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making

US median pay: US$76,040 a year (2025), 7,830 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyVery important (3.8)
• BiologyO*NET: BiologyVery important (3.7)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.6)
• Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.4)
• Economics or AccountingO*NET: Economics and AccountingImportant (3.1)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Master's Degree

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.