Acupuncture: your input, please

I'm trying to decide whether or not to enroll in the elective acupuncture course that is offered to senior vet students next spring.

Disclaimer: I don't have to actually sign up for the course until a solid 6-9 months from now, so it's not like I have to make this decision this week. However, if I opt out of acupuncture, I'll need to choose another elective, and the longer I wait on that, the more limited my options will be.

Here are the basic details:

The course meets for 3 weeks. The first 2 weeks occur back-to-back and are mostly didactic. The third week is a month or two later, and covers clinical application (i.e. hands-on practice) of acupuncture with small animals.

The first two weeks would count as one of my two electives I'm allowed for senior year. The third week would take place during one of my two-week vacation blocks, basically on my own vacation time.

At the end of the course, you get a certificate of completion. I'm not exactly sure how veterinary acupuncture works, but I don't believe that, as a DVM, you have to have been certified in order to legally perform acupuncture.

All of that is well and good, until you get to the cost of the course: about $4,700 if I register by October (and yes, that is already including a discount for students).

On the one hand, I tell myself that having this experience and certification with acupuncture may be the selling point that gives me an edge over other new grads competing for a limited number of jobs -- that is, if those employers value acupuncture and want to add it or build it up in their practice. On the flip side, though, there are probably plenty of practices out there that don't care much about acupuncture or don't believe it is really useful.

You can learn acupuncture on your own as a DVM, and/or attend continuing education to develop your technique. So it's not like vet school is the only opportunity I'd have to learn it. However, as a working DVM, it would be much more difficult to get enough time off to attend this sort of intensive 3-week, 120-hour course. Add in the fact that I'd probably be facing travel expenses since this type of thing is not offered everywhere in the country, as well as the fact that I'd lose the vet student discount, and the cost could go up.

I keep thinking that $4,700 is a LOT of money to invest in this course given that (a) I don't if it will be something I really enjoy doing, (b) I can't guarantee it will make any difference with potential employers, and (c) it will take up my second of two elective spots, as well as a week of my vacation (which isn't a big deal). However, I can easily put in perspective that I'm already paying about $50,000 in tuition and fees for my senior year, so as long as I'm taking out tons of student loans, why not borrow another $4,700 for something that may pay off when I'm a new grad?

I'd be interested in your thoughts, if you'll post them in the comments section below. I have repeatedly flip-flopped back and forth over the last few months about whether I want to take the course or not, so I guess it's a good thing I have a few more months to decide.