If you want to work as an acupuncturist in the United States, we are delighted to announce that we have negotiated a new streamlined process for eligibility for National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) certification for BAcC Members.
The NCCAOM is the only national organisation in the United States that validates entry-level competency in the practice of acupuncture and oriental medicine through professional certification. Its mission is to assure the safety and well-being of the public and to advance and advocate for the professional practice of NCCAOM board-certified acupuncturists.
In late 2020, the BAcC and the BAAB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the NCCAOM on mutual collaboration in the promotion and encouragement of education and certification eligibility. Agreement was made to collaborate on developing uniform standards for NCCAOM board-certified acupuncturists and members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC).
One of the key outcomes envisaged was that active members of the BAcC would be eligible to sit NCCAOM board examinations.
We are delighted to announce that BAcC members are now eligible to sit the NCCAOM board examinations, and that reciprocal arrangements are in place for NCCAOM diplomates to gain admission to BAcC membership. Our thanks go to Harriet Lansdown from the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB) for spearheading the developments here.
The new NCCAOM education verification process
The new pathway is only open to members of the BAcC. BAcC Members in good standing can now apply for verification of their education credentials directly with the NCCAOM prior to applying for certification, rather than having to go through a lengthier and more expensive third-party evaluation.
Applicants must also demonstrate 250 clinical patient contact hours within two consecutive years of practice (validated through the BAcC) and must complete an online Clean Needle Technique (CNT) course.
The expected processing time for the credential evaluation review process is under two weeks (once all documents are received) and costs $325.
Once their international verification has been approved, applicants will be eligible to submit their application to sit for the NCCAOM certification examinations.
This new verification process is possible only because of strong acupuncture competency standards in the UK, the BAcC Educational Standards. Further information, including complete application instructions, can be downloaded here.
About the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
The NCCAOM was established in 1982 to assure the safety and well-being of the public and to advance and advocate for the professional practice of NCCAOM Board-Certified Acupuncturists by promoting established standards focused on competence and credentialing. All NCCAOM certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certification Agencies (NCCA) and carry the NCCA seal. NCCAOM certification or a passing score on the NCCAOM certification examinations are recognized as documentation of competency for acupuncture licensure by 98% of the states that regulate acupuncture.
Please note that Licensure requirements for the practice of acupuncture in the United States vary from state to state. NCCAOM certification, while a prerequisite for licensure in most states, does not guarantee licensure in every state. It is the applicants’ responsibility, before application submission, to verify the state regulatory licensure requirements for each state in which they wish to be licensed. For more information, please visit the NCCAOM state licensure webpage.
