Licensed Acupuncturist
(Female, Age 32) from Stephens City, VA
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 32 who works as a Licensed Acupuncturist in Stephens City, VA. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Licensed Acupuncturist |
|---|---|
| Salary | $50,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Stephens City, VA |
| Years Experience | 3 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I am both self employed and a contract employee at a chiropractor’s office. In my private practice, I am the only employee. The chiropractor’s office has 3 chiropractors, an office manager, 4 massage therapists.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
Initial patient intake (health history), develop treatment plan, treat patient with acupuncture. Return phone calls, order supplies, bookkeeping, laundry.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
self employed – I run my business as I see fit, set my own schedule. No medical/dental coverage.
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
I set my own fees, so I am pretty well compensated.
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I work with my patients on a daily basis. When I am at the chiropractor’s office, I interact with the office manager, chiropractors, and massage therapists. I enjoy the interaction. I don’t have to answer to anyone other than my patients and myself which I like.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
My private practice in the same office as a massage therapist. It is open, spacious, and calming. It’s a great environment. The chiropractor’s office is also nice, but a little more medical in nature. I enjoy that office for the people more than the building itself.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 3
Benefits: 7
Hours: 2
Co-Workers: 4
Supervisors: 6
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 5
The Actual Work: 1
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | Get ready for work and pack lunch. |
| 8am to 9am | 8:15 call voice mail for private practice – listen to messages. 8:30 leave the house to drive to the office. Get to the office at 9:40. |
| 9am to 10am | 9:40 get to office. Set up room by putting sheets on the treatment table, getting acupuncture supplies out, pull patient files for the day, and review first patient’s chart. 10 am first patient shows up for appointment. |
| 10am to 11am | Discuss patient’s health issues, treat patient with appropriate acupuncture points/protocal. Leave the room for about 20 minutes to finish paperwork for the chart while treatment occurs. Re-enter the room, remove needles, discuss when to schedule next appointment. Change sheets for next appointment. |
| 11am to 12pm | No patient scheduled during this time. Step out for a personal appointment. Return to office at 11:45 and read. |
| 12pm to 1pm | 12 eat lunch and read a little more. Check voicemail at private practice for patient calls. Review next patient’s chart. |
| 1pm to 2pm | 1:05 Next patient arrives. Discuss patient’s health issues, treat patient with appropriate acupuncture points/protocal. Leave the room for about 20 minutes to finish paperwork for the chart while treatment occurs. Re-enter the room, remove needles, discuss when to schedule next appointment. Change sheets for next appointment. |
| 2pm to 3pm | 2:00 Next patient arrives. Discuss patient’s health issues, treat patient with appropriate acupuncture points/protocal. Leave the room for about 20 minutes to finish paperwork for the chart while treatment occurs. Re-enter the room, remove needles, discuss when to schedule next appointment. Change sheets for next appointment. |
| 3pm to 4pm | 3:00 next patient arrives. Discuss patient’s health issues, treat patient with appropriate acupuncture points/protocal. Leave the room for about 20 minutes to finish paperwork for the chart while treatment occurs. Re-enter the room, remove needles, discuss when to schedule next appointment. Remove sheets from the treatment table, place in dirty laundry. |
| 4pm to 5pm | 4:05 leave office to drive home. Arrive at home 4:50, relax after a pretty good day. |
| 5pm to 6pm | |
| 6pm to 7pm | |
| 7pm to 8pm | |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
Sent my professional information out to massage therapists, chiropractors, hospitals, and doctor’s offices.
What was the application process?
Submitted resume, waited for a call or e-mail.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Sort of. I went in to see the office for my private practice, discussed cost of renting space, days the room was available, and general behavior guidlines. For the chiropractor’s office, it was similar, but instead of rent, we discussed pay.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
Don’t remember specifics.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
n/a
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes. It is a combined Bachelors and Masters degree in Oriental Medicine. After the required undergraduate credits to get into the school, the school takes 3-4 years.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. I spent a lot of time while in school treating patients in the clinic. The course work and clinic work combined to give me a strong foundation.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Be prepared to be self employed. A lot of acupuncturists would rather have a job for someone with a salary and benefits, but it doesn’t happen as often as most of us would like.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
A true love for acupuncture. During (and after) school, learn about running a business. When first starting out, patience is important.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
The minimum requirement currently is a Masters degree.
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Be patient. The practice will grow over time. Enjoy what you do and don’t get discouraged.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes. I love my work. I don’t want to do any other line of work.
What are your current career goals?
Consolidate my offices. I don’t want to commute as much, but I want my practice to grow.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
Be prepared to be questioned about being an acupuncturist. Be prepared for skeptics.
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Temp.Receptionist | 3 months | $ 1200/mo | Answer phones, greet customers, etc. |
| Prior Job 2 | Temp. Medical Records clerk | 3 months | $1100/mo | Answer phones, direct mail, enter requests for records. |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
3.54 | LFCC | Chemistry |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
3.5 | Southwest Acupuncture College | Master of Science in Oriental Medicine |
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