American Board of Chiropractic Acupuncture
Council of Chiropractic Acupuncture

CCA Policy Statement on Board Certification

The Council of Chiropractic Acupuncture (CCA) Board of Directors has approved the following statement regarding the Council’s mission and goals relating to chiropractic acupuncture:

The CCA is committed to insuring public health and safety by ensuring that all persons practicing any type of chiropractic acupuncture are properly trained and educated. To that end, the CCA offers post-graduate training in chiropractic acupuncture through various educational institutions. The American Board of Chiropractic Acupuncture (ABCA), which is the credentialing arm of the CCA, assures that these programs meet the stringent criteria of the CCA. The ABCA also provides board certification through an examination process and provides other standards for Board Certification of chiropractic physicians.

Chiropractic Acupuncture Defined

Chiropractic Acupuncture refers to a method of shortened training (approximately 300 hours) on the use of acupuncture that recognizes the advanced medical education of chiropractic physicians. This training, based on international standards, is similar to the training of medical and osteopathic physicians performing Medical Acupuncture, and follows the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for acupuncture. Chiropractic Acupuncture is a medical discipline having a central core of knowledge that embraces the integration of acupuncture from various traditions into a contemporary biomedical practice.

Acupuncture Qualifications for Board Certification

Currently, formal “Board Certification” in chiropractic acupuncture is available for licensed chiropractic physicians through the American Chiropractic Association. To be eligible for board certification, the ABCA has a 300 hour education and training requirement. Please refer to our website at: www.councilofchiropracticacupuncture.com for specific training programs and Board Certification requirements.

To be granted board certification by the ABCA, a chiropractic physician must be a graduate of a chiropractic institution, and must have 300 additional hours of didactic and clinical education in acupuncture. This training must include clinical training and education in clean needle techniques and patient safety. Upon completion of their training the chiropractic acupuncturist must pass a rigorous examination, which includes both a written and a practical examination.

To maintain Board Certification, the chiropractic physician must obtain 24 hours of additional accredited continuing education hours in chiropractic acupuncture every 2 years, and must attend the ACA-CCA Symposium bi-annually.

Only licensed chiropractors in good-standing are eligible to sit for the board examination and apply for ABCA “Board Certification.” Board Certification in Chiropractic Acupuncture insures that the provider has acquired specialized knowledge and experience related to the integration of acupuncture within a biomedical practice.

Chiropractic acupuncture represents the use of acupuncture by fully trained and licensed chiropractic physicians. The chiropractic acupuncturist fills a unique role in the health care delivery system by practicing healthcare from both western medical and eastern paradigms. Proper examination and diagnosis is critical to helping restore health.

The ABCA understands that particular state or federal statutes may offer varying requirements for the practice of chiropractic acupuncture that may have a lower threshold than that required by the ABCA. It is this Board’s position that the standards required by the ABCA are consistent with those of the World Health Organization, and the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture which credentials medical physicians.