The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has finalized a program naming policy recognizing & accrediting only these entry-level and advanced-practice doctoral programs as of Jan. 1, 2022:
1. Entry-Level Programs
A. Necessary for licensure and national certification in acupuncture
- Master of Acupuncture (MAc)
- Doctor of Acupuncture (DAc)
B. Necessary for professional licensure in acupuncture that includes Chinese herbal medicine and/or
national certification in Chinese herbology
- Master of Acupuncture (MAc) with a specialization in Chinese herbal medicine
- Doctor of Acupuncture (DAc) with a specialization in Chinese herbal medicine
- Master's-level certificate in Chinese herbal medicine
2. Advanced-Practice Doctoral-Level Programs
- Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM)
ACAOM adopted the policy at its February 2020 semi-annual meeting in response to public comments regarding the now-retired ACAOM Degree Structure and Naming Convention Policy, with the new policy effective March 6, 2020.
In its Rationale for Program Naming position paper, issued in conjunction with the naming policy, the commission states: "There is longstanding confusion by the general public, patients, and other healthcare and insurance providers about the various levels of acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) training, related degree titles, and associated terminology. ... [ACAOM] believes that well-understood and consistently applied degree titles will help eliminate this confusion and ultimately contribute to growth and recognition of the AOM profession."
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