NCCAOM Policy Changes

What’s New in 2015

Please note that the policy changes below were announced in the Diplomate Webinar, NCCAOM® Recertification Handbook and the NCCAOM website since last year. The information below is a recap of the policy changes that take effect this year in case you have missed them or need a reminder. For a quick view of the 2015 NCCAOM Recertification Program refer to the Recertification At-a-Glance.

Recertification Program Changes As of January 1, 2015:  Policy Changes

  • The Recertification Application fee is $250.00 per certification program as of January 1, 2015.
  • The core domain of acupuncture and Oriental medicine coursework has been expanded to include biomedicine, patient communication, and legal and compliance coursework.
  • The Practice Enhancement category under the optional section of Professional Enhancement Activities has been eliminated. Coursework completed in the category of Practice Enhancements prior to January 1, 2015 will still be accepted for a maximum of six (6) PDA points.
  • The optional Professional Enhancement Activity, Exercise Tai Chi/Qi Gong, is limited to a maximum of four (4) PDA points. Activities completed in the category of Exercise Tai Chi/Qi Gong prior to January 1, 2015 will still be accepted for a maximum of ten (10) PDA points.
  • The optional Professional Enhancement Activities, Additional NCCAOM Certification and Passage of the NCCAOM Biomedicine Exam have been combined. The new Professional Enhancement Activity category is Passage of An NCCAOM® Certification Exam for a maximum of 20 PDA points. Activities completed in the categories of Additional NCCAOM Certification and Passage of the NCCAOM® Biomedicine Exam prior to January 1, 2015 will still be accepted for a maximum of twenty (20) PDA points each.

Conversion from Acupuncture and/or Chinese Herbology to Oriental Medicine Certification: The application fee is reduced to $100.00. The process and requirements have been modified. Please refer to the NCCAOM® Recertification Handbook for details.


A Look Ahead to What’s Coming As of January 1, 2016

  • CPR will be required as a stand-alone requirement in addition to 60 PDA points.
  • Two (2) PDA points will be required in each of the core domains of Safety and Ethics (Reminder: 2015 remains unchanged. Four (4) PDA points are required in the domains of Safety and/or Ethics .)
  • Diplomates certified in both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology prior to 2004, who apply for conversion to Oriental Medicine certification, will be required to either pass the Biomedicine certification examination or submit 60 biomedicine continuing education units or coursework earned within four years of the application date.

The NCCAOM encourages Diplomates to complete a mix of online and face-to-face professional development classes in order to foster an environment to meet with others of like professional interests, which will assist in creating a sense of community and networking.

Go to the NCCAOM website under “What’s New” on the homepage to stay current with NCCAOM policy and procedure changes and for information on specific implementation dates.


2015 Exams Administrations

Foreign Language Exams  300310-test-center

  • Chinese Exam Administration Periods:
    • June 15 – 27, 2015
    • September 21 – October 3, 2015
  • Korean Exam Administration Period:
    • September 21 – October 3, 2015

The June 15 – 27, 2015 Chinese Foreign Language Exam (FLE) registration is currently open at Pearson VUE and will close on June 26, 2015.

Registration for the September 21 – October 3, 2015 Chinese and Korean Foreign Language Exams will open on March 1, 2015. Registration will close on:

  • Chinese Exam Registration closes October 2, 2015
  • Korean Exam Registration closes August 1, 2015

To assure you are approved to register for the FLEs with Pearson VUE please notify the NCCAOM of your intent to take the exams in Chinese or Korean by completing the NCCAOM® Foreign Language Examination Notification form found by scrolling to the bottom of the NCCAOM® Foreign Language Exam Notification website page.

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM®) is pleased to inform you that the cost of the Foreign Language Exam (FLE) fees has been reduced to $400.00 per exam module (a reduction of 43%) to incentivize more candidates to register for the 2015 FLE administration periods with Pearson VUE. The Certification Services team will confirm your exam approval by email, at which time you can follow the instructions on the Authorization to Test Letter to register for the appropriate foreign language examination(s) with Pearson VUE.

Completing NCCAOM certification examination(s) does not guarantee the ability to acquire a license to practice acupuncture or other forms of Oriental medicine. It is the responsibility of the candidate to check with the state in which they wish to practice to determine if an examination completed in a foreign language will meet the eligibility requirements for licensure.

Important: The NCCAOM reserves the right to cancel any exam module which does not have the number of registrants needed to offer a valid and reliable exam. All testers will be notified of the status of the exam module that they are registered to take one month prior to the beginning of the exam administration period. Any refunds due to an insufficient number of candidates will be issued directly from Pearson VUE to the credit card used at the time of registration.


Reinstatement Exams

The NCCAOM Reinstatement Exam administration periods are:

  • March 2 – 14, 2015
  • June 15 – 27, 2015
  • September 21 – October 3, 2015

Registration is now open for all NCCAOM Reinstatement Exam administration periods. Former Diplomates whose certification has terminated may return to active status by applying for reinstatement of certification and passing the NCCAOM Reinstatement Exam.

If you have additional questions concerning either the Foreign Language Exams or the Reinstatement Exams contact the NCCAOM by email at [email protected].


Did You Know?

  • Current email addresses are required for up-to-date communication from NCCAOM staff.
  • The new NCCAOM online portal contains vital information about your certification status. You may now report and track your PDA points throughout your four (4) year recertification cycle and apply for recertification online.
  • If you have applied to take the NCCAOM Exams at any point in time, you already have an online profile with NCCAOM. Forgot your login or password? Contact NCCAOM at [email protected] or (202) 398-1140.
  •  Keep a copy of all documentation submitted to the NCCAOM for your personal files.
  • NCCAOM approved PDA courses found on the PDA Search Engine are guaranteed to qualify for recertification and can be found on the NCCAOM website under “PDA Program” and then click on “PDA Search Engine.
  • Lapsed status occurs when an application is not processed for recertification on or before the certification expiration date. To avoid lapsed status, late fees, and the incurrence of additional PDA points Diplomates must apply for recertification no later than 4 – 6 weeks prior to the certification expiration date.
  • All former Diplomates in lapsed status and inactive Diplomates must recertify within three years of their last active certification expiration date or their certification is terminated and then must apply for reinstatement of certification to return to active Diplomate status.
  • Core competency coursework accepted by the NCCAOM for recertification may not be allowed by some state acupuncture boards for license renewal. Diplomates are advised to check with their state acupuncture board as to the requirements for re-licensure.
  • Completing the NCCAOM® Diplomate Satisfaction Survey, which will be distributed in the Fall 2015, is a way of assisting NCCAOM in providing better customer service.
  • Completing the anonymous NCCAOM® Diplomate Demographic Survey provides you with the opportunity to enter your name in a drawing to win a coupon for a free recertification