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# ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT 8 PROGRAM OF STUDY
The professional program in acupuncture shall be based on the following critical elements: It must be at least three academic years in length; it must be a resident program; it must demonstrate attainment of professional competence; it must have an adequate clinical component; and, it must include the following minimum core curriculum (#1-10) designed to train students to achieve the competencies of an independent acupuncture provider.
The professional program in Oriental medicine shall be based on the following critical elements: It must be at least four academic years in length; it must be a resident program; it must demonstrate attainment of professional competence; it must have an adequate clinical component; and, it must include the following minimum core curriculum (#1-12) designed to train students to achieve the competencies of an independent Oriental medical provider.
The structure and content of these curriculum areas must lead students to achieve or exceed the professional competencies of an independent acupuncture or Oriental medicine provider as listed in Criteria 8.10.
These requirements may be satisfied by courses at a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education provided that the core content is consistent with the program's objectives.
1. History of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Discussion of different traditions in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and how they relate to Chinese medical history.
History of the development of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the U.S., and of development of current professional trends.
Discussion of history and professional trends in acupuncture and Oriental medicine outside the U.S. and China.
2. Basic Theory
Qi
Tonification (supplementation) and sedation (draining) of qi, creation of harmony
Dao
Yin Yang
Eight Parameters/Ba Gang
Five Elements (phases, correspondences)/Wu Xing and their laws and cycles
Twelve Officials/Shi Er Guan
Viscera & Bowels/Zang Fu
Theory of channel vessels (Meridians)/Jing Luo
Internal and External causes of disease such as Six External Evils/Liu Xie, Seven Emotions/Qi Qing and Non-internal or External Reasons/bu nei wai yin
Oriental medicine pathology (bing ji)
Meaning (significance) of disease, symptoms, signs
Fundamental Body Substances (e.g. shen, qi, blood, fluid, etc.)
3. Acupuncture, Point Location and Channel (meridian) Theory
Location systems: anatomically, proportionally, by palpation, Anatomical Chinese inch (cun), fen.
Systems of nomenclature and knowledge of standards of the WHO Scientific Group to Adopt a Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature, 1991
Anatomical locations
All points on the twelve bilateral channels (meridians) and the Conception/Ren and Governing/Du vessels
Forbidden points, contraindications of points
Classification of points
Functions and Indications of acupuncture points
Extra Acupuncture Points
Other categories and types of acupuncture points (e.g. auricular points, scalp points, hand points)
Special groupings of acupuncture points (for example: transport points, painful or tender points (Ah Shi), local and distal points, Associated Effect and Alarm points, windows of the sky, Internal and External Dragons, Seas and Oceans, thirteen ghost points), and other recognized point combinations.
Traditions of acupuncture; respect for different traditions of evaluating and diagnosing and influencing and correcting the balance of Qi.
4. Diagnostic Skills
History Taking/Charting
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine: Methods: Observation/Wang, Audio-Olfaction/Wen, Inquiry/Wen, Palpation/qie, Differential diagnosis
Biomedical: Measuring and recording vital signs, i.e., respiratory rate, pulse rate, temperature and blood pressure
Referrals: Recognition of symptoms requiring referrals, including infectious disease.
5. Treatment Planning in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Methods and systems for planning, carrying out and evaluating a treatment
Prognosis
Contraindications of treatment
Making appropriate referrals
Consideration of special factors or symptoms indicating: potential for increased risk to the patient (e.g., immune compromised patient, diabetic patient), the need to modify standard therapeutic approach (e.g., infants and children, pregnancy), and apparently benign presentations that may have a more serious cause (hypertension, headaches).
6. Treatment Techniques
Needle insertion: depth, duration, manipulation and withdrawal
Moxa: application, direct & indirect. etc.
Other techniques (e.g., bleeding, moxibustion, cupping, gua sha, seven star)
Tonification (supplementation)/bu and sedation (draining)/xie
Knowledge of methods and application of acupuncture relating to the treatment of acute and chronic conditions, first aid, analgesia, anesthesia, and electrical stimulation
Safety issues
Oriental bodywork therapy (e.g.,. Tui Na, shiatsu, Amma, acupressure etc.)
7. Equipment and Safety
Selection & maintenance of equipment:
Needles: gauge, types, selection, replacement, inspection
Other equipment: cups, moxa, seven star, etc.
Sterilization: necessity and various methods
Electronic equipment: selection, maintenance, inspection for hazards
Relevant State and Federal regulations concerning equipment
Safety of patient and practitioner:
Asepsis, Clean Needle Technique
Avoiding harm from typical procedures: needling, moxa, cupping, bloodletting, etc.
Fainting during treatment
Relevant State and Federal Regulations concerning safety
First Aid and CPR
Personal & office cleanliness and hygiene
8. Counseling and Communication Skills
Communications skills: listening, counseling, explaining, and teaching
Managing psychological reactions that may arise during the course of treatment and the ability to make appropriate referrals
9. Ethics and Practice Management
Confidentiality
Informed Consent
Understanding the scope of practice
Record Keeping: legal requirement, release of data
Ethical and legal aspects of referring patients to another practitioner
Professional conduct and appropriate interpersonal behavior
Overview of the status of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the US
Understanding laws and regulations governing the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the state where the program is offered and that laws and regulations vary from state to state.
Recognition and clarification of patient expectations
General liability insurance and legal requirements
Professional liability insurance: risk management and quality assurance
Building and managing a practice including ethical and legal aspects of third party reimbursement
Professional development
Basic bookkeeping
10. Biomedical Clinical Sciences
Relevant basic sciences that are directed toward attaining the biomedical clinical competencies
Biomedical and clinical concepts and terms
Human anatomy and physiology
Pathology and the biomedical disease model
The nature of the biomedical clinical process including history taking, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up
The clinical relevance of laboratory and diagnostic tests and procedures, as well as biomedical physical examination findings
Infectious diseases, sterilization procedures, needle handling and disposal, and other issues relevant to bloodborne and surface pathogens
Biomedical pharmacology including relevant aspects of potential medication, herb and nutritional supplement interactions, contraindications and side effects and how to access this information
The basis and need for referral and/or consultation
The range of biomedical referral resources and the modalities they employ
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