Healing that Transforms

 

 

To become an acupuncturist, a student attends a graduate school program in Traditional Chinese Medicine for 3 - 4 years. After graduation, the students sits for the National exam given by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), which is the ONLY national board examination, CERTIFYING Acupuncturists in the U.S.A.

 

A Minimum of 1,800 hours of Chinese Medical Education and supervised clinical training is required to sit for this exam. Currently, the requirement to sit for this exam is graduation from an Chinese Medical School, most of which are 2,200+ hour programs. It is a two-day test of written and practical Acupuncture skills and theory.

 

An Acupuncturist, after passing the NCCAOM is awarded the title "Diplomate of Acupuncture of the NCCAOM" (Dipl. Ac.). Certification is renewed every four years with the requirement of completing at least 60 hours of continuing education units.

 

The Texas Medical Board regulates acupuncture, in the State of Texas. Only those who pass the NCCAOM exam are awarded the title of "Licensed Acupuncturist" (L.Ac.)

 

As for Medical Doctors, Doctors of Osteopathy, or Chiropractors who "Do Acupuncture", here is their breakdown of training in acupuncture:

 

Chiropractors: need only 100 hours of training, review 25 case histories and NO examination to legally perform acupuncture in Colorado.

 

Medical Doctors (M.D.) and Doctors of Osteopathy (D.O.): have NO minimum requirements for doing acupuncture in Colorado. They call themselves "Medical Acupuncturists".