Contemporary Medical Acupuncture for Professionals:
Certification, Background, Examination and Programs

Background    Examination    Programs

Certification

The AMMA provides two levels of certification, the National Board Certified Practical Acupuncturist (P.Ac.) and the National Board Diplomate Acupuncturist (D.Ac.).

Level One:  Practical Acupuncturist (P.Ac.)
The practical acupuncturist has completed an accredited or certified program in allied health care and is a licensed or certified health care or allied medical provider, has completed the AMMA program in practical acupuncture (both the written and the hands on portions), and has passed the NBCA/AMMA national acupuncture certification exam.

Level Two:  Diplomate Acupuncturist (D.Ac.)
Has completed an accredited doctoral or allied medical program in medicine and is a licensed physician, health care or allied medical provider such as a physical therapist, nurse, or physicians assistant, has completed an acupuncture program approved by the board, and has passed the NBCA/AMMA national certification exam.

Background

The American Manual Medicine Association (AMMA) subscribes to western evidence based standards and criteria in education and health care. Qualified individuals, upon successful completion of an evidence based medical acupuncture program may apply to take the Acupuncture National Board Certification Examination (NBCE) offered by the American Manual Medicine Association (AMMA). The NBCE is the only examination process for health care professionals specifically trained in the principals and practice of evidence based medical acupuncture.

Qualified individuals are those who have graduated from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, with a professional degree or certification, recognized by the US Department of Education and/or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Foreign Medical Graduates

All international medical transcripts and degrees must be from medical schools that are listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED). The applicant's graduation year must be included in the medical school's IMED listing. The IMED provides an accurate, up-to-date resource of information about international medical education and can be visited on the web at: http://imed.ecfmg.org.

All applicants who received their acupuncture education from outside the USA must satisfy the International Education Policy of the American Manual Medicine Association, below.

The fee for the foreign education review process by the AMMA is $200. The foreign education review application must be submitted to the AMMA along with the AMMA applications, all fees and supporting documents.

International Acupuncture Education

The AMMA invites all foreign-trained practitioners of acupuncture to apply for Association Membership and Certification. Credentials from foreign institutions must have been evaluated by an independent credentials review agency before the applicant can be considered eligible for the National Board Certification Examination by the American Manual Medicine Association. All foreign, academic related, documents must have been reviewed by a recognized credentialing agency such as American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers at http://www.aacrao.org and or the World Education Services, Inc. at http://www.wes.org. For more information contact the MMAA at 888-375-7245 or info@MichiganMedicalAcupuncture.org.

Individual Membership Consideration

Applicants with transcripts and documents that fail to meet the international education policy of the American Manual Medicine Association may be eligible for consideration for association membership upon a formal review by the board. A full board review will consider the applicant's submitted documents along with the applicant's training, references and experience. Because of the unpredictable nature of international liaisons and the full board review process, Individual membership consideration may take up to six months. Additionally, the board may require the applicant to pass the Acupuncture National Board Certification Examination by the American Manual Medicine Association for health care professionals.

Examination

The National Board Certification Examination (NCE) consists of two parts:

Part One - State Licensure Acupuncture Public Safety Proficiency Certification Examination (SLAPSPCE) and Clean Needle Practical Examination (CNPE) demonstrating Acupuncture Clean Needle Techniques (CNT).

Part Two - Written examination from program content from each P.Ac or D.Ac.

Programs

Individual hour Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program options are available for those qualified individuals seeking the Certified Practical Acupuncturist (P.Ac.) or the Certified Diplomate (D.Ac.) status. Additionally, a supervisors program is offered for those practitioners eligible to delegate or direct certified acupuncturists.

OPTION 1

PROGRAM:
Contemporary Medical Acupuncture; Level I Training

REQUIREMENTS:
225 hour, full body Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program that is held in three parts using both hands on and distance education.

ELIGIBILITY:
Qualified individuals must have completed a 1000 hour academic program recognized by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools or a Baccalaureate Degree from a regionally accredited college or university recognized by the CHEA. Coursework must include the study of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pathology and ethics.

CERTIFICATION:
Upon program completion individuals are eligible to sit for the Acupuncture National Board Certification Examination (NCE) by the American Manual Medicine Association (AMMA) leading to the National Board Certified Practical Acupuncturist (P.Ac.) status

Prior acupuncture training from regionally accredited institutions, continuing medical education programs or by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (ADS) may be credited toward program requirements

OPTION 2

PROGRAM:
Contemporary Medical Acupuncture; Level II Training

REQUIREMENTS:
120 hour, full body Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program that is held for the equivalent of 12 hours once a month, for five months.

ELIGIBILITY:
Qualified individuals must have completed a regionally accredited doctoral program in medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, naturopathy or other allopathic medical specialty such as nursing, physical therapy, athletic training, dentistry, or podiatry.

CERTIFICATION:
Upon program completion individuals are eligible to sit for the Acupuncture National Board Certification Examination (NCE) by the American Manual Medicine Association (AMMA) leading to the National Board Certified Diplomate Acupuncturist (D.Ac.) status.

Prior acupuncture training from regionally accredited institutions, continuing medical education programs or by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) may be credited toward program requirements.

OPTION 3

PROGRAM:
Contemporary Medical Acupuncture; Supervisors Program

REQUIREMENTS:
A Supervisors Program encompasses the principals and practices of acupuncture and the requirements for its supervision.

ELIGIBILITY:
Licensed practitioners.

CERTIFICATION:
Upon program completion participants will be issued an administrative certificate recognizing their accomplishment relative to the delegation of acupuncture procedures.