How do I know who is qualified to act as an acupuncturist and practitioner of Oriental medicine?
A. The National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is a professional organization that sets the minimum standards for qualified practitioners, which encompasses about 4,000 hours of study. MD’s and DC’s do not, unfortunately, have to qualify in some states under the NCCAOM, they simply have to take 100 to 300 hours of acupuncture courses (NC is one). This severely limits the understanding of Chinese medical practice and, in turn, limits the public’s benefit that Chinese medicine can give.
