I understand that the main complaint people have about athletic trainers dry needling is that they feel that acupuncturists should be the only medical professionals who can do it. First, acupuncture and dry needling are not the same thing. While the argument should end there, the second point is a rebuttal to those making claims that "it's not something you can learn in a weekend." Athletic trainers go to school for longer than acupuncturists, many have a masters degree, and they are licensed healthcare professionals. They are not random individuals coming in off the street and signing up to take this class. We already have the background in human anatomy and therapeutic modalities; that's a majority of what acupuncturists learn in their 2-3 year courses as well. Lastly, physical therapists also dry needle. If you're upset that more than just acupuncturists are dry needling (they're doing acupuncture, not dry needling), then the conversation needs to include all healthcare professionals who are currently using dry needling in their practice.