Alternative Systems of Medical Thought

Licensing, Certifying and Training Standards for Alternate Modalities

Training Standards

• There are currently more than 50 schools and colleges of acupuncture in the United States, most of which are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), www.acaom.org.
• TCM practitioners are trained through academic programs leading to a Master's Degree in either Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine, which includes acupuncture and herbal therapy.
• The ACAOM standards for a master's degree require: a 3-year program (1700 hours) for Acupuncture, and a 4-year program (2100 hours) for Oriental Medicine. Accredited programs include some Western medical knowledge, including anatomy and physiology and a clean needle technique.
• For Physicians: Several post-graduate programs exist for medical doctors who wish to practice medical acupuncture. These programs require approximately 400 hours of study.

Certification and Licensing Standards

• The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), www.nccaom.org, certifies graduates of ACAOM accredited programs.
• NCCAOM Certification is available in: Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology and Asian Bodywork.
• Certification requirements include: meeting the eligibility criteria and passing the associated NCCAOM examination. Eligibility criteria can be met through:
  
  
  1. Formal Education: graduation from an accredited program;
  2. Apprenticeship: 4,000 hours of training with a documented program/preceptor;
  3. Combination of the two.
     (See the NCCAOM website for more information.)
  
  
• The title conferred upon certification is NCCAOM Certified in Acupuncture or Chinese Herbology or Asian Bodywork.
• Of the three certifications only acupuncture requires licensing.
• Licensure for acupuncture is available in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Upon receipt of NCCAOM certification, practitioners then apply to their state boards for licensure. Most states have adopted the NCCAOM standard for Certification in Acupuncture, but some states may have additional requirements. Several states require Certification in Chinese Herbology in addition. California has its own exam and licensing system (See the American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM) website for more information, www.aaom.org).
• The title conferred varies by state but is most often Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac), but may be Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac) or Certified Acupuncturist (C.A.). Some states have systems employing some combination of the above.
• For Physicians: No further licensing is required for physicians who are licensed by their state medical boards. In most states medical doctors can practice acupuncture with little or no training.

Important Note on Doctor of Oriental Medicine (OMD): There is currently a proposal, put forward by the ACAOM, to upgrade the standards for licensure to a 4000 (hour) doctoral degree program. There is a significant amount of debate surrounding this proposal. There are currently only three schools in the United States that are accredited for a doctoral program. These doctoral programs confer the title of Doctor in Oriental Medicine (OMD), but there is no difference in the scope of practice. For more information go to, www.acupuncturetoday.com/news/acaomsurvey.html.

Training Standards

• The Council for Homeopathic Education accredits homeopathic training programs, of which there are more than 30 in the United States.
• Most of the accredited training programs are post-graduate programs intended for MDs and DOs and offer didactic education as well as clinical experience. However, there are three naturopathic colleges that offer undergraduate programs in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, and Phoenix, AZ.
• In addition to the accredited programs there are many schools and correspondence courses that offer education to laypeople. The standards of these programs differ significantly.

Certification and Licensure

• The certification process depends upon the background of the practitioner.
• For MDs (Medical doctors) and DOs (Osteopathic doctors):
  
  • Certification: The American Board of Homeotherapeutics certifies physicians at two levels:
    1. A Primary Care Certificate in Homeotherapeutics can be obtained at the post-graduate or graduate level. It requires: 60-100 hours of training homeotherapeutics and a written exam;
    2. A "Diplomate in Homeotherapeutics (DHt)" is required for treatment of chronic disease or complex pathology. It requires: proof of comprehensive didactic and clinical traing and 3 years of clinical experience.
    
    
  • Licensure: Most physicians practice homeopathic medicine under the licensure provided by their state medical boards. However, Connecticut, Nevada and Arizona have developed separate homeopathic medical state licensing boards and physicians must obtain and additional license in these states. Currently, MDs and DOs are the only professions licensed to practice homeopathy in all of the states.
  
  
  
• For NDs (Naturopathic doctors):
  
  • Certification: Naturopathic doctors can be certified through the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (HANP) as a Diplomate of HANP. Certification requires:
    1. Graduation from a 4-year accredited naturopathic college;
    2. 500 classroom hours of formal instruction in homeopathy;
    3. Successful completion of the written and oral HANP examinations.
    
    
  • Licensure: In those states that license naturopathic physicians, homeopathic medicine is included within the scope of their practice. Those states that currently license NDS include: AK, AZ, CT, HI, ME, NH, OR, UT, VT, and WA.
  
  
• For Laypeople:
  
  
  • Certification: Laypeople may be certified by the Council for Homeopathic Certification (CHC), regardless of professional training. Certification confers the title of Certified in Classical Homeopathy (CCH). Certification requires:
    1. Fulfillment of education requirements
       (Please refer to the CHC website at www.homeopathicdirectory.com);
    2. Successful completion of the CHC written exam.
    
    
  • Licensure: Those laypeople certified by the CHC practice in an unlicensed capacity.

Training Standards

• In India the education and training requirements for Ayurvedic medicine are similar to those for a medical doctor.
• In the United States there are a number of schools that teach Ayurvedic principles and there is no consensus as to the graduation requirements. There are many schools that offer a variety of training opportunities. Many programs are geared toward health professionals who wish to utilize Ayurvedic principles in their practice. There are also programs for laypeople interested in incorporating Ayurvedic principles into their lives.
• The California College of Ayurveda (CCA), www.ayurvedacollege.com, currently offers the most complete training program. Graduates receive certification from the CCA, as well as American Institute of Vedic Studies (AIVS), www.vedanet.com.

Licensing and Certification Standards

• There is no formal certifying or licensing in the United States, other than that offered by the CCA.
• Licensed health care professionals may incorporate Ayurvedic principles into their practice within the scope of their knowledge and training.
• Pros and Cons of Licensure: The legal regulation of health care dramatically affects the practice of Ayurvedic medicine in the United States. Those most qualified to practice, Ayurvedic physicians from India, are unable to practice with a license without going back to a Western medical school to undertake a full doctoral program. This is unfeasible for most individuals. Therefore, for people who seek Ayurvedic therapies the choice is between a licensed Western physician with more limited training or an unlicensed person with a greater Ayurvedic background, but potentially little or no formal Western medical training.

Note on Licensing and Certification: As with many other alternative therapies, Ayurvedic medicine does not have its own state licensing boards or standards. Therefore licensed practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine are individuals licensed by the state licensing board of another health profession (e.g. doctors, psychologists, dentists). These individuals practice under the rules and regulations and within the scope of their profession as defined by the state licensing board.