About Board Certification

National Board Certification by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is a rigorous process that includes a strict set of criteria that candidates must complete prior to being certified.  Candidates must complete a minimum 1900 hours of course work in a Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine approved institution as well as extensive clinical training prior to being able to sit for the national board exams.  The NCCAOM offers certification in acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, Asian Body Work, and Oriental Medicine, which is a comprehensive certification that includes all of the previously listed certifications.

National Board Certification by the NCCAOM is important because it allows patients and consumers to know that their chosen practitioner has had a thorough and rigorous education and training in their field.  With the way that current practice laws are written, various other health care practitioners such as Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, and Physical Therapists are able to practice acupuncture with very little training and no board certification or oversight, sometimes by calling it by a different name (Dry Needling) resulting in a dangerous situation and often poor results.

National Board Certification in Chinese Herbology is also very important especially in Colorado, where the current practice law does not require any certification or education to prescribe and dispense herbal medicines.  By selecting a practitioner that is Nationally Board certified in either Chinese Herbology or Oriental Medicine, you can be confident that your practitioner has had both the knowledge and training necessary to safely and effectively utilize herbal medicines.

To learn more about National Board Certification or to verify a practitioner’s status, Click Here.