Chi Institute
9700 W. Hwy 318
Reddick, FL 32686

Chi Institute is located in Reddick, Florida, and was founded in 1998 as a veterinary continuing education provider of traditional Chinese veterinary medicine. The program includes acupuncture and herbal medicine, which have been practiced in China for more than 2,000 years. Other branches of Chinese medicine include a form of chiropractic massage and acupressure called tui-na, diet and nutrition, and a form of energy exercise called qi gong.

The graduate program at the Florida school requires 36 credit hours, and up to eight credits can be transferred from another accredited school and applied to Chi Institute. Required core courses for students in the graduate program at Chi Institute include veterinary acupuncture, veterinary herbology and veterinary food therapy. The program can be completed in anywhere from two to 10 years.

Chi Institute's veterinary technician program is available to veterinary technicians who work at a hospital where traditional Chinese veterinary medicine is practiced. In order to enroll in the program, students must have a reference letter from a licensed veterinarian. The program places an emphasis on theoretical principles and practical techniques, and graduates are recommended to work under traditional Chinese veterinary medicine doctors.

Chi Institute offers its students an annual conference that is hosted alternatively in China or the United States. When the conference is hosted in China, graduate students can complete their advanced traditional Chinese veterinary medicine training during the trip. Each week-long conference focuses on a theme of study, such as cancer, liver, or skin problems, and is followed by a tour of China.

Quick Facts:

• More than 1,500 licensed veterinarians have graduated from the Florida school and work in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe and Japan.


• The American Association of Equine Practitioners reports that over 15 percent of veterinarians use acupuncture to treat their equine patients.


• Two scholarship programs are available at Chi Institute, awarding a total of $20,000 to 10 students each year.


• The student-to-teaching assistant ratio at the Florida school is 5-to-1, with limited class sizes to provide students with maximum opportunities for hands-on experience.


• Master's degrees awarded in traditional Chinese veterinary medicine by the Florida school are conferred by the South China Agricultural University and Chi Institute.


• The Florida school's programs are endorsed by the South China Agricultural University College of Veterinary Medicine and certified by the China National Society of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine.