Why do state licensing boards use ACAOM educational standards as a licensing requirement?
Nearly all state boards license medical professions in similar ways. In general, these boards require licensure applicants to have graduated from an accredited or candidate program, and to have passed a national certification exam. Basing licensure on graduation from an accredited or candidate program provides assurances that the applicant received adequate training to practice safely and effectively. In the case of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, most states utilize the ACAOM process in evaluating the educational credentials of applicants. The major exception is California, which has developed its own school approval process.
