Educational Requirements for NCCAOM Certification
Eligibility Overview
Route 1 – Formal Education: United States Applicant
Route 2 – Formal Education: International Applicant
Route 3 – Apprenticeship Applicant
Route 4 – Combination of Formal Education & Apprenticeship Applicant
Route 5 – Converting to an NCCAOM Oriental Medicine Certification Applicant
Route 6 – Reinstatement to Active NCCAOM Status Applicant
Once approved to sit for the examinations, an NCCAOM® Authorization to Test (ATT) Letter is issued. This is a very important piece because it is required for entrance into the testing center. The application for certification is open for four (4) years from the date the payment is processed at NCCAOM. New eligibility requirements implemented after the applicant becomes a candidate will not affect their application. New certification requirements will need to be met (e.g. new exam).
Route 1:
Formal Education: Graduate from an ACAOM Accredited Program – U.S Applicants Only
Applicants applying under Route 1 are graduates or enrolled students from a program accredited or in candidacy status by Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). The initial NCCAOM Certification requires the applicant to meet the ACAOM educational requirements outlined below and complete a degree, diploma or certificate program for the respective NCCAOM certification program.
- NCCAOM Certification in Oriental Medicine: Four-year Master’s program in Oriental Medicine.
- NCCAOM Certification in Acupuncture: Three-year Master’s program in Acupuncture.
- NCCAOM Certification in Chinese Herbology: Four-year Master’s program in Oriental Medicine OR a Master’s in Acupuncture and a post-graduate Chinese Herbal Certificate recognized by ACAOM.
ACAOM Graduation Hour Requirement
| Oriental Medicine Program |
Minimum 4-Year Master degree, 2625 Hours/ 146 Credits |
|
| Subject | Hours Required | |
| Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture Theory | 705 Hrs. / 47 credits | |
| Didactic Oriental Herbal Studies | 450 Hrs. / 30 credits | |
| *Acupuncture /Chinese Herbology Clinic | 870 Hrs. / 29 credits | |
| Biomedicine | 510 Hrs. / 34 credits | |
| Counseling, Communications, Ethics, Practice Management | 90 Hrs. / 6 credits | |
| Acupuncture Program |
Minimum 3-Year Master degree, 1905 Hours/ 105 Credits |
|
| Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture Theory | 705 Hrs. / 47 credits | |
| Acupuncture Clinic | 660 Hrs. / 22 credits | |
| Biomedicine | 450 Hrs. / 30 credits | |
| Counseling, Communications, Ethics, Practice Management | 90 Hrs. / 6 credits | |
|
Chinese Herbology Program |
*ACAOM Guideline: Chinese herbal certificate training program for Master of Acupuncture students and practitioners will be a minimum of 450 hours of didactic instruction in herbs and 210 hours of herbal clinical training. | |
Route 2:
Formal Education: International Applicants
Applicants applying under the international route must have a degree/diploma in Oriental Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine or Acupuncture from an academic institution that meets the following requirements.
Government Oversight or Private Accreditation:
- The program is approved by a foreign government’s Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, or equivalent agency.
- The school is approved by an international private accreditation agency with standards that are comparable to those of ACAOM and are recognized for that purpose by the respective government entity.
- The school is approved by an acupuncture and/or Oriental medicine (AOM) professional society, association or organization that sets AOM education standards that are comparable to those of ACAOM, are recognized for that purpose, and has an enforcement agency that ensures standards are met and maintained.
Graduate Transcript:
Documentation from a third-party review agency authenticating the distribution of academic hours/credits per program that meet ACAOM standards or their substantial equivalency.
Third-Party Educational Review
NCCAOM requires international applicants to have their educational program and transcript reviewed by a third-party agency to confirm document authenticity. Please note that the agency does not ‘approve’ the educational program but verifies the authenticity of documents and provides a course-by-course evaluation of the graduate transcript. The foreign education review process typically takes 6 months to complete. International applicants are advised to complete the third-party agency review before applying to NCCAOM.
Third-Party Review Agency Accepted by NCCAOM
Important Notice: World Education Services (WES) transcript evaluations will no longer be accepted after December 31, 2017.
NCCAOM Examinations administered at international locations are only offered by “official” level 1 Pearson VUE Testing Centers. For detailed information, see the Pearson VUE website at www.pearsonvue.com/nccaom/.
Route 3:
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is defined as clinical and didactic training completed under qualified preceptors who assume responsibility for the theoretical and practical education of the apprentice. The curriculum is designed by the preceptor and should use ACAOM Standard 8: Program of Study as a guideline. Please wait to submit the NCCAOM application and training documentation packet until the apprenticeship is completed.
Important Information – Policy Change for Applications Submitted as of January 1, 2017:
All applicants for NCCAOM certification applying through Route 3: Apprenticeship U.S. and International are required to satisfactorily complete at least two academic years (60 semester credits) of formal education in addition to the required apprenticeship contact hours. The 60 semester credits must be completed in areas such as healthcare related coursework or life sciences from a non-vocational institution of higher education accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or an equivalent accrediting agency in the country in which the education was received. The academic transcript must be submitted, in English, to the NCCAOM directly from the academic institution.
For detailed information and requirements please download the NCCAOM® Certification Handbook .
Route 3 Apprenticeship Elimination Notice
The Apprenticeship for US and International Applicants (Route 3) will be eliminated as of December 31, 2021. The apprenticeship program must be completed and the application for certification through the Apprenticeship for US and International Applicants (Route 3) must be received by the NCCAOM no later than December 31, 2021. Please review the Apprenticeship Route FAQ for more information. The Combination of Formal Education and Apprenticeship for US and International Applicants (Route 4) will remain in effect.
Route 4:
Combination of Formal Education and Apprenticeship
Applicants using Route 4 to reach eligibility to sit for NCCAOM examinations are awarded points for meeting the requirements in the Formal Education and Apprenticeship Routes. Applicants must earn a combination of points from each category.
- Acupuncture or Chinese Herbology program: 30 points – cannot exceed 20 points from any one category.
- Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology program: 40 points – cannot exceed 30 points from any one category.
Point Allocation
Formal Education
- Applicants are awarded 10 points for each full year (635 hours) of formal education.
- The formal education program must meet the criteria described in Route #1: Formal Education: Graduate from United States or Route #2: Formal Education International Applicants.
Apprenticeship
- Applicants are awarded 10 points per 1,000 contact hours with a qualified preceptor.
- A maximum of 10 points may be earned per calendar year or a 12-consecutive-month period.
- The apprenticeship hours, qualified preceptor requirements and documentation must meet the criteria described under Route #3: Apprenticeship for United States or International Applicants.
For additional information on this route of eligibility please contact NCCAOM by email at [email protected] .
Route 5:
Converting to an NCCAOM Oriental Medicine Certification
Diplomates who are actively certified in Acupuncture and/or Chinese Herbology may apply for a conversion to Oriental Medicine.
Single Diplomates who are certified in either Acupuncture or Chinese Herbology will need to meet eligibility and pass the necessary exam(s).
Double Diplomates who are certified in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology will need to complete the biomedicine requirements, if applicable.
Please note that Diplomates who were certified prior to 2004 may need to submit coursework or PDAs in bodywork, diet, exercise, and/or patient education. All requirements are outlined in the NCCAOM® Certification Handbook.
Route 6:
Reinstatement to Active Status
The purpose of the NCCAOM’s reinstatement program is to provide a pathway for terminated Diplomates to regain their NCCAOM Certification.
The (NCCAOM)® is pleased to announce a new Reinstatement Route for former Diplomates in Terminated status to return to active status. The new Reinstatement Route will open in December of 2019 and will close on June 30, 2022. The NCCAOM Reinstatement exam(s) are not required for certification under this new Route. All new eligibility requirements must be met to achieve active NCCAOM certification.
Individuals who applied under the original Reinstatement Route have until December 21, 2019 to take and pass the NCCAOM Reinstatement exam or contact the NCCAOM at [email protected] for a change to the new Reinstatement Route and complete the new Route Continuing Education requirements.
Eligibility Requirements for Reinstatement to following:
- Confirm previous NCCAOM certification
- Record on the application form all states in which you are practicing or have previously practiced
- Provide documentation of Clean Needle Technique, Safety, Ethics and CPR coursework
- Complete Background screening via NCCAOM vendor
- Report continuing education required for Reinstatement (based on applicant’s certification expiration date) to Online Certification Portal
The NCCAOM® Application for Reinstatement to Active NCCAOM Status is valid for six (6) month and is submitted from the candidate’s profile on the online certification portal.
Route 8:
Certification for California Licensed Acupuncturists
Beginning February 1, 2019, the NCCAOM opens Route 8: NCCAOM Certification for California Licensed Acupuncturists. This is a time -limited route that will close on September 30, 2021. Applicants who meet all revised eligibility requirements of Route 8 will be granted NCCAOM Oriental Medicine Certification without the requirement of taking the NCCAOM examinations.
- Hold an active California Acupuncture license that is in good standing;
- Submit an online NCCAOM CA Route application and pay the application fee;
- Demonstrate competency in Clean Needle Technique
Requirements:
-
- Have on file with the NCCAOM a certificate of completion for the face-to-face clean needle technique course offered by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM).
- Complete the CCAOM CNT Review – Acupuncture Safety course if the certificate of completion for the face-to-face clean needle technique course offered by the CCAOM indicates this course was completed more than six years prior to the date of application.
- All certificates of completion for the face-to-face CNT course and the CNT and Blood Borne Pathogen Review Course must be sent to the NCCAOM directly from the CCAOM.
The NCCAOM® Application for CA Route Certification for California Licensed Acupuncturists is valid for one year or until September 30, 2021 (whichever comes first) and is submitted from the candidate’s profile on the online certification portal.