California Association of Acupuncture Tutorials

The California Association of Acupuncture Tutorials (CAAT) was formed in 1984. Our mission is to:

1. Field inquiries and answer questions about tutorial education.
2. Mentor students and teachers in other established tutorial programs.
3. Assist tutorial program applicants in the application process.
4. Assist tutorial students in licensing exam preparation.
5. Work with the Acupuncture Board to promote and improve tutorial education in the State of California.

The Acupuncture Board’s website contains the following introduction to tutorial programs:

“The tutorial program provides access to higher education for many people who, for many reasons, of which a few are identified below, are not able to attend school. 1. Students who cannot afford the high tuition of an acupuncture school. Tutorial programs are typically less expensive. 2. Students who need to work for a living and cannot fit into a school’s rigid class schedules. Tutorial programs can work with more flexible schedules. 3. Students who do not live geographically close to a school. Qualified prospective tutors are located throughout the state.”

This description was first presented to the Acupuncture Board by CAAT as part of a series of legislative proposals, dated January 24, 1987.

For more information from the State of California about tutorials: Click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I’m licensed in another state or country?
First, contact the Acupuncture Board at their state of California headquarters in Sacramento. You want to review with them your current license and the course work that you took to obtain it. They need to calculate of what you have already done, what is transferrable as credit towards the California license. Hopefully all of it. For example they may want you to take certain additional science course work or expand the hours in herbal medicine, etc.. Once the state has made it clear what you need then you want to start looking for a tutor.

Can you give me a list of practitioners who will sponsor my tutorial?
No. At the moment there is no current list of statewide practitioners who are involved in the tutorial program or may be available to be a tutor. The way you will find one is first decide where you want to live and how far you want to drive. Then start calling the practitioners in the area to see who is already in a program, or who has done a program or would like to consider being in a program with you.

Can I pay my tutorial sponsor to teach me?
No. The State of California does not allow any tuition to be charged to the student by the tutor. So what this suggests is that you want to be able to present to a prospective tour as big a set of possible things that you can do for the tutor in order to create an equitable exchange. Maybe you are an excellent grant writer and the tutor needs help with that. Or maybe the tutor wants to open up an herbal business and you have lots of experience in marketing. Perhaps you are trained to do scientific research, maybe you build houses, etc.

What can Pine Street do for me?
Once you find your tutor, then you may contact us to discuss how we have done our tutorial programs since 1982 and the curriculums we’ve developed.