Course Content/Criteria

The content of all courses of continuing education (CE) must be relevant to the practice of acupuncture and Asian medicine and fall within one of the following two categories (C.C.R. Title 16, section 1399.483(b)).

Category 1 - Courses related to clinical matters or the actual provision of health care to patients. Examples of Category 1 courses include, but are not limited to:

• Acupuncture and Asian Medicine
• Western biomedicine and biological sciences
• Scientific or clinical content with a direct bearing on the quality of patient care, community or public health, or preventive medicine
• Courses concerning law and ethics and health facility standards
• Courses designed to develop a licensee's patient education skills, including, but not limited to, patient education in therapeutic exercise techniques, nutritional counseling, and biomechanical education
• Courses designed to enhance a licensee's ability to communicate effectively with other medical practitioners
• Courses in acupuncture's role in individual and public health, such as emergencies and disasters
• Courses in the behavioral sciences, patient counseling, and patient management and motivation when such courses are specifically oriented to the improvement of patient health
• Research and evidence-based medicine as related to acupuncture and Asian medicine

Category 2 - Courses unrelated to clinical matters or the actual provision of health care to patients. Examples of Category 2 courses include, but are not limited to:

• Practice management courses unrelated to clinical matters and direct patient care, including administrative record keeping, laws and regulations unrelated to clinical medicine, insurance billing and coding, and general business organization and management.
• Breathing and other exercises, i.e. qi gong and taiji quan that are for the benefit of the licensee and not the patient.

While Category 2 courses may be approved for any number of hours, licensees may only report 5 hours of CE earned in Category 2 courses within a licensing period (every 2 years). Therefore, CE Providers may wish to limit the number of hours offered in this category.

It will be the responsibility of the provider to identify the category for each course, and to state the course description, outline, and statement of objectives that clearly shows how the course pertains to that category.

Distance Education

• Licensees may complete up to 50% of their CE requirements through distance education courses (courses completed on an independent or home study basis). For a standard, 2-year renewal period, a licensee would be eligible to receive up to 25 hours of credit through distance education.
• Courses that require practical or hands on techniques may not be approved for distance education.
• Courses approved for distance education must include a self-assessment by the licensee upon completion of the course that tests the participant's mastery of the course material.

Law and Ethics Requirement

As a condition of renewal on active status, licensees shall complete a minimum of four (4) hours of continuing education in law and ethics within a licensing period (every 2 years). This requirement is waived if the licensee is renewing an initial license that has been issued for less than two (2) years.

While courses related to law and ethics may be approved for any number of hours, licensees are only required to complete four (4) hours. CE Providers identify when a course meets the law and ethics CE requirement when applying for Board approval of a course.