OAR 847-070-0016
Qualifications
(1)
An applicant for licensure as an acupuncturist must have:(a)
Graduated from an acupuncture program that satisfies the standards of the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), or its successor organization, or an equivalent accreditation body that are in effect at the time of the applicant’s graduation. An acupuncture program may be established as having satisfied those standards by demonstration of one of the following:(A)
Accreditation, or candidacy for accreditation by ACAOM at the time of graduation from the acupuncture program; or(B)
Approval by a foreign government’s Ministry of Education, or Ministry of Health, or equivalent foreign government agency at the time of graduation from the acupuncture program. Each applicant must submit their documents to a foreign credential equivalency service, which is approved by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) for the purpose of establishing equivalency to the ACAOM accreditation standard. Acupuncture programs that wish to be considered equivalent to an ACAOM accredited program must also meet the curricular requirements of ACAOM in effect at the time of graduation.(b)
Current certification in acupuncture by the NCCAOM. An applicant will be deemed certified by the NCCAOM in Acupuncture if the applicant has passed the NCCAOM Acupuncture Certification Examinations or has been certified through the NCCAOM Credentials Documentation Examination.(A)
The applicant has no more than four attempts to pass the NCCAOM Acupuncture Certification Examinations. If the applicant does not pass the NCCAOM Certification Examinations within four attempts, the applicant is not eligible for licensure.(B)
An applicant who has passed the NCCAOM Certification Examinations but not within the four attempts required by this rule may request a waiver of this requirement if the applicant passed the examination within five attempts and:(i)
Has obtained a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree; or(ii)
Experienced extenuating circumstances that do not indicate an inability to safely practice acupuncture as determined by the Board.(2)
An applicant who does not meet the criteria in OAR 847-070-0016 (Qualifications)(1) must have the following qualifications:(a)
Five years of licensed clinical acupuncture practice in the United States. This practice must include a minimum of 500 acupuncture patient visits per year. Documentation must include:(A)
Two affidavits from office partners, clinic supervisors, accountants, or others approved by the Board, who have personal knowledge of the years of practice and number of patient visits per year; and(B)
Notarized copies of samples of appointment books, patient charts and financial records, or other documentation as required by the Board; and(b)
Practice as a licensed acupuncturist in the U.S. during five of the last seven years prior to application for Oregon licensure. Licensed practice includes clinical practice, clinical supervision, teaching, research, and other work as approved by the Board within the field of acupuncture and oriental medicine. Documentation of this practice will be required and is subject to Board approval; and(c)
Successful completion of the ACAOM western medicine requirements in effect at the time of graduation from the acupuncture program, unless the applicant graduated from a non-accredited acupuncture program prior to 1989; and(d)
Current certification in acupuncture by the NCCAOM. An applicant will be deemed certified in Acupuncture by the NCCAOM if the applicant has passed the NCCAOM Acupuncture Certification Examinations or has been certified through the NCCAOM Credentials Documentation Examination.(A)
The applicant has no more than four attempts to pass the NCCAOM Acupuncture Certification Examinations. If the applicant does not pass the NCCAOM Certification Examinations within four attempts, the applicant is not eligible for licensure.(B)
An applicant who has passed the NCCAOM Certification Examinations but not within the four attempts required by this rule may request a waiver of this requirement if the applicant passed the examinations within five attempts and:(i)
Has obtained a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree; or(ii)
Experienced extenuating circumstances that do not indicate an inability to safely practice acupuncture as determined by the Board.(3)
An individual whose acupuncture training and diploma were obtained in a foreign country and who cannot document the requirements of subsections (1) or (2) of this rule because the required documentation is now unobtainable, may be considered eligible for licensure if it is established to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant has equivalent skills and training and can document one year of training or supervised practice under a licensed acupuncturist in the United States.(4)
In addition to meeting the requirements in (1), (2) or (3) of this rule, all applicants for licensure must have the following qualifications:(a)
Licensure in good standing from the state or states of all prior and current health related licensure; and(b)
Have good moral character as those traits would relate to the applicant’s ability properly engage in the practice of acupuncture; and(c)
Have the ability to communicate in the English language well enough to be understood by patients and physicians. This requirement is met if the applicant passes the NCCAOM written acupuncture examination in English, or if in a foreign language, must also have passed an English language proficiency examination, such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or TSE (Test of Spoken English). An applicant must obtain a TOEFL score of 500 or more for the written TOEFL exam and 173 or more for the computer based TOEFL exam, or a TSE score of 200 or more prior to July 1995, and a score of 50 or more after July 1995. An applicant who is certified through the NCCAOM Credentials Documentation Examination must also have passed an English proficiency examination.
Source:
Rule 847-070-0016 — Qualifications, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=847-070-0016.