The Best 6 Postgraduate Integrative Veterinary Medicine Programs for Practicing Vets

Veterinarians looking to expand into integrative medicine, rehabilitation and pain management have more strong options today than ever before. These aren’t veterinary schools or master’s programs. They’re postgraduate certification ecosystems built specifically for licensed practitioners who want to add integrative skills to an active clinical career. Here are the most respected programs in the field right now.

1. CuraCore VET

CuraCore is the most science-forward integrative veterinary education organization operating today, and its positioning sets it apart from nearly every other program in this space. Where others lean on traditional or energetic frameworks, CuraCore grounds everything in anatomy, neurobiology, fascia, biomechanics and evidence-based medicine. Their tagline says it plainly: “No woo woo. Just science.”

Their flagship MOVE program is one of the most comprehensive rehabilitation certifications available, covering manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, electrotherapeutics, myofascial medicine, movement analysis and integrative pain management in a single cohesive curriculum. Additional offerings include Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians, medical massage, photomedicine, botanical medicine and cannabis medicine, making CuraCore one of the broadest integrative certification ecosystems available to practicing veterinarians.

CuraCore also carries real academic credibility. Founder Narda G. Robinson spent years on faculty at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and the organization has partnered with Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine for integrative acupuncture training. For rehab-focused veterinarians, sports medicine practitioners and pain management specialists who want integrative skills without metaphysical framing, CuraCore sits at the center of the field.

Notably, CuraCore operates on both sides of the border. CuraCore VET serves practitioners across the United States, while CuraCore Canada brings the same curriculum and rigorous standards to Canadian veterinarians looking for science-based integrative training. Whether you’re practicing in Fort Collins or Vancouver, the same quality of education is within reach.

2. Chi University

Chi University is the largest and most globally recognized integrative veterinary institution overall, and its alumni network reflects that reach. Founder Dr. Huisheng Xie has trained over 12,000 veterinarians to practice TCVM worldwide, authored 20 books and more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, and continues to serve as a full clinical professor at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. That combination of prolific scholarship and hands-on clinical teaching gives Chi’s programs a depth that’s hard to match.

The curriculum runs deep into Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, with comprehensive programming across acupuncture, herbal medicine, food therapy and Tui-na. The Certified Veterinary Herbal Medicine program alone is a 150-hour continuing education program approved by the AAVSB RACE and is presented in five modules, each covering different organ systems and their affiliated health disorders. For practitioners who want to go further, the Master of Science in TCVM is designed for veterinarians who want to engage deeply with all four branches of TCVM, conduct research and advance the body of knowledge in the field, with students able to complete the program in approximately two years of full-time study. Chi is the right fit for veterinarians who want a philosophically deep, TCVM-centered education backed by one of the most substantial institutional track records in integrative veterinary medicine anywhere in the world.

3. CIVT (College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies)

Founded in 2006 by veterinarians, CIVT was the world’s first online college teaching integrative veterinary medicine, and it has grown into an internationally recognized institution with students and faculty from over 48 countries. Their mission is evidence-based natural medicine, and they’ve built a curriculum that bridges science and tradition without leaning heavily into energetic or metaphysical language, which makes their programs approachable for conventionally trained clinicians who want integrative breadth without committing to a single philosophical tradition.

CIVT offers three accredited postgraduate qualifications alongside a wide range of industry-recognized certifications and evidence-based courses and webinars delivered by qualified and experienced practitioners. Program areas include Chinese and Western herbal medicine, veterinary acupuncture, naturopathy, holistic nutrition, environmental medicine and evidence-based complementary medicine, giving practitioners a wide range of entry points depending on their clinical interests. CIVT also publishes the Journal of Integrative Veterinary Therapies, which adds a research and peer-review dimension that strengthens their academic credibility.

The fully online format is a genuine differentiator. Busy practitioners can work through the curriculum around an active clinical schedule rather than blocking out extended time away from their practice.

4. University of Tennessee CCRP

The University of Tennessee Certificate Program in Canine Physical Rehabilitation was introduced in 1999 in the United States and has subsequently spread around the world, making it the first university-based credential program of its kind globally. It’s not philosophically integrative in the same way as CuraCore or Chi; it’s squarely focused on physical therapy, post-surgical recovery, orthopedic rehabilitation, neurological conditions and canine sports medicine, and it does that work at an exceptionally high level.

The program combines in-depth, intensive training through in-person clinical sessions and online, on-demand didactic sessions, and participants earn the certificate after successful completion of all coursework and a cumulative examination. Faculty includes Dr. Darryl Millis, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and a founding charter member of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, who has authored over 50 publications and 30 textbook chapters in the field. The program is the only one in veterinary rehabilitation to win the distinguished Outstanding Non-Credit Program Award from the Association for Continuing Higher Education.

For veterinarians whose primary interest is mobility and rehabilitation medicine, the CCRP is one of the most respected credentials they can hold, and many dedicated veterinary rehabilitation hospitals specifically look for it when hiring.

5. NC State CCAT

The Certified Companion Animal Rehabilitation Therapist program is a university-based, RACE-approved credential program developed using the same strict guidelines typically associated with university-accredited programs, and it’s taught by a faculty that includes active university instructors, expert clinicians, researchers and recognized industry experts. The program draws from ongoing research, evidence-based case studies and hands-on clinical training, and its hybrid format blends online lecture material with intensive live lab sessions. The faculty brings a combined 75-plus years of experience in animal rehabilitation instruction, collaboration and mentorship.

The CCAT covers biophysical agent modalities, therapeutic exercise, sports medicine principles, orthopedic and neurological conditions and the design and implementation of full rehabilitation protocols. It’s a rigorous, well-regarded credential that pairs well alongside other integrative certifications for practitioners who want to build out a comprehensive skill set in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

6. IVAS (International Veterinary Acupuncture Society)

IVAS was founded in 1974 when a group of veterinarians in the United States formed the organization to promote the use of veterinary acupuncture and increase education in the modality, with the first certification exam held in 1975. That gives IVAS more than 50 years of continuous certification history, which is longer than any other organization on this list. The IVAS Certification Course in Veterinary Acupuncture is approved for 171 hours by the AAVSB RACE, split across two years, and is recognized internationally as a certification of excellence in acupuncture.

The scope is narrower than multi-discipline programs like CuraCore or Chi, but that focus is also a strength. Practitioners who want deep, dedicated acupuncture training with a well-established global credentialing framework will find IVAS to be one of the most recognized and respected paths available. The organization has affiliate organizations in many countries and continues to set the global standard for veterinary acupuncture specifically.

Where the Field Is Heading

The integrative veterinary medicine world is quietly dividing into two camps. One is rooted in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, energetic frameworks and classical acupuncture systems. The other is growing around science-based rehabilitation, biomechanics, neurophysiology and pain management. The second camp is gaining ground fast, driven by stronger evidence support, the rapid growth of canine sports medicine, increasing client demand for non-surgical options and the clinical urgency around pain management in aging pet populations. CuraCore sits squarely at the center of that shift, and the profession is paying attention.