PROPOSED STARTING POINT FOR OUR DISCUSSION
This may prove a difficult task because some states are bound by legislation and do not have room to move. However, I have found that most statutes are general and it is left to the Acupuncture Board to write regulations that are more specific.
There are three groups of people involved: I. Graduates of Accredited Schools with a Masters Degree, II. Licensed practitioners who have years of practice but do not have the education to obtain a Masters Degree, and III. Practitioners who have no education but were grandfathered to practice in a state or foreign country.
I. GRADUATES OF ACCREDITED SCHOOLS
- Graduation from an acupuncture/Oriental medicine program that has been granted accreditation or candidacy status by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), or from a foreign program evaluated to be equivalent and approved by that state.
A passing score in the test given by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
II. LICENSED PRACTITIONERS, NO MASTERS DEGREE
- A certain number of years of practice, say 5 o 10.
- A passing score in the NCCAOM exam.
- Practiced as a licensed acupuncturist in the U.S. immediately prior to application for licensure. Licensed practice includes clinical practice, clinical supervision, teaching, and research.
- Possible addition - Documentation of successful completion of ACOAM's Western medicine requirements in effect on July 1, 1998.
III. GRANDFATHERED PRACTITIONERS
- A certain number of years of practice, say 10 to 20.
- A passing score in the NCCAOM exam.
- Practiced as a licensed acupuncturist in the U.S. immediately prior to application for licensure. Licensed practice includes clinical practice, clinical supervision, teaching, and research.
- Possible addition - Documentation of successful completion of ACOAM's Western medicine requirements in effect on July 1, 1998.
Other possibilities for this category are:
- . A letter of good standing from the state or states of all prior and current medically related licensure.
- Proof of good moral character.
- Ability to communicate in English (if not a U.S. citizen)
- Can document one year of training or supervised practice under a licensed acupuncturist in the U.S.
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