If you want to bring acupuncture into your practice with confidence, everything starts with a solid foundation. That’s exactly what our AA1 course, Foundations of Anatomical Acupuncture, is built to give you.
AA1 is one of Canada’s most established medical acupuncture training programs, designed specifically for regulated health professionals who want a credible, evidence-informed entry point into this modality. Over a 3-day in-classroom session and a 4-week online component, you’ll build the theoretical understanding and the practical skills to start integrating acupuncture treatment into your patient care.
What is AA1, and who it’s for
AA1 is the first step on a longer pathway. It’s built for physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and other regulated clinicians who are ready to add a new, well-supported skill to their clinical practice. Rather than treating acupuncture as an isolated technique, we designed this training as a foundation that you build, adding depth to your skill set over the years.
You’ll leave AA1 with more than technique. You’ll understand why acupuncture works, how to explain it to your patients, and how to apply it responsibly within your existing healthcare practice.
Where AA1 sits among Canada’s acupuncture training options
Many acupuncture training programs focus narrowly on technique. AA1 takes a broader approach. We start with the history of acupuncture and the current research behind its physiological mechanisms, then walk through how the Meridian system works from an anatomical perspective. You’ll compare the basic concepts of Anatomical and Classical Acupuncture, so you understand exactly where this medical acupuncture approach fits within the wider field.
What you’ll learn: theory and the mechanisms behind acupuncture
Confidence comes from understanding, not just repetition. In AA1, you’ll learn to explain the mechanisms of action behind acupuncture and assess your patients for treatment within the scope of your practice. This isn’t about memorizing point charts. It’s about building clinical reasoning to know when acupuncture is the right choice and developing sound acupuncture point-selection skills you’ll use for the rest of your career.
We place a strong emphasis on identifying anatomical landmarks, so you can reliably and consistently locate the points you’re learning to needle.
Safety, risk management, and patient communication
Safety sits at the center of everything we teach. As you learn to formulate a treatment plan, you’ll also learn to identify possible hazards, manage risk, and monitor your patients for their reaction to needling.
We also teach you how to talk to your patients about acupuncture. That means being able to clearly explain a treatment plan, along with its risks and benefits, in plain language your patients can understand and trust. Experienced practitioners tell us this piece often matters as much as the acupuncture technique itself. Patients want to feel informed and safe before they’ll agree to try something new, and that trust starts with a clear, honest conversation.
Practical skills and clinical applications
By the end of AA1, you’ll have practical experience with specific needling techniques and clinical applications for 39 acupuncture points. You’ll learn how to apply these points to real conditions practitioners see every day: whiplash, frozen shoulder, and pain in the back, hip, knee, and foot.
Theory only takes you so far. That’s why AA1 includes case treatment plans that let you apply what you’ve learned to realistic clinical scenarios. This is where the theoretical and the practical skills come together, and where you’ll start to see how the pieces fit into a full patient care plan rather than a list of disconnected facts.
How AA1 fits into your longer acupuncture pathway
AA1 isn’t a standalone credential. It’s the first leg of a mapped, mentored pathway that carries you through clinical training and advanced applications, all the way to advanced needling techniques and advanced practice. As you progress, you’ll have access to an ongoing community of alumni, mentors, and instructors, so you’re never left to figure out your first real cases on your own.
This matters because acupuncture, done well, is a career-long skill. Choosing continuing education that’s recognized by regulators and built for long-term growth, rather than a one-off weekend credential, sets students and working clinicians alike up to keep building for years to come.
Enrollment details and next steps
If you’re ready to start building your foundation, AA1 is the place to begin. Seats are limited for each intake, so we encourage you to enroll early to secure your spot. A student discount is available for full-time, final-year students. Contact us at info@acupuncturecanada.org for student details.
You can review upcoming AA1 course dates and enroll directly through Acupuncture Canada.
