Academy for Five Element Acupuncture

The Academy for Five Element Acupuncture is based in Gainesville, Florida, where students complete their third-year clinical residency at the Academy’s teaching clinic. The clinic provides acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine alongside cupping, gua sha, acupuncture injection therapy, and weekly community-style acupuncture. Small cohorts of 18 to 25 students create an environment for close mentorship, individualized instruction, and professional relationships. Faculty members are practicing acupuncturists and herbalists who bring clinical experience into the classroom. The Academy has taught the healing arts of the Five Element tradition for more than twenty years and has prepared over 600 graduates for acupuncture careers since 1988. Its three-year Master of Acupuncture program covers the theory, philosophy, and practice of Five Element Acupuncture. Students develop clinical skills while studying a whole-person approach rooted in traditional Taoism and the Five Elements. The 27-month Certificate in Chinese Herbal Medicine can be completed alongside the acupuncture program, integrating Eight Principles and Zang Fu diagnosis and treatment models with Five Element theory. Programs prepare students for national board examinations and meet licensure eligibility requirements in most U.S. states. International students should know that the program is non-residential during the first two years. Students can live outside Florida, study between intensive sessions from home, and access faculty, readings, assignments, and resources online. Many students work during this period. The third year requires relocation to Gainesville for the clinical residency, with intensive sessions lasting 14 to 18 days in the first two years.