Table of Contents:
- Happy New Year of the Pig!
- Welcome to the AAAOM!
- Integrator Blog
- SAR 2007 Annual Conference
- 2006 Teacher of the Year
- Julie Peretz Passes
- AAAOM-SO Scholarships
- Chow QiGong Training
- PCOM Welcomes Maciocia
- NCCAOM Exam Q&A
- NCCAOM Relocating
- nuherbs Scholarships
- Master Tung's Acupuncture
- AAAOM Conferences
Greetings OM Members and Colleagues:
Happy New Year!
Memorial for People Born in the Year of the Pig
Venue: Saha Chat Monument - Phra Nakhon District
Welcome to our first Qi-Unity Report as the AAAOM! Some of you may have noticed that we didn’t publish last month. The reunification of the AAOM and the AOM Alliance was finalized the weekend of January 12, 2007, to take effect February 1, 2007. As you can imagine, the process of reunifying has many “moving parts” that will take months to address. For this reason, we prioritized addressing the initial operational issues at hand. Please take a moment to review the press release (PDF) that announced the joining of our two organizations as the new AAAOM.
We are excited about the inherent value of unity for and on behalf of the OM profession. To that extent, AAAOM President, Leslie McGee, and AAOM President Emeritus, Will Morris would like to share their Welcome and a Farewell with you.
President’s Welcome
President’s Farewell
We also know the reunification can bring many questions as it relates to your continued membership status with the AAAOM. As it relates to how your membership status transfers and/or renews to AAAOM status, we have provided common Questions and Answers, followed by a list of membership categories and rate structures, as well as member benefits.
AAAOM Website: The new AAAOM website is nearing completion. The new address is www.aaaomonline.org. The new site will go live in March 2007, and at that point in time both the AAOM and the AOM Alliance websites will go dark. For members and colleagues that have not heard of the unification, the old sites addresses of both websites will automatically point and link to the new website.
As the largest and oldest provider of acupuncture insurance in the country, we offer the benefit of experience,
enabling you to enlist the protection of the industry’s leading carrier backed by a veteran legal defense team —
at the lowest premiums you’ll find anywhere. You deliver peace-of-mind to your patients. Find out how we can do
the same for you. Visit www.acupuncturecouncil.com.
Integrator Blog News & Reports
Integration, by nature, asks us to open our peripheral visions. We are served to look at the whole of the
field. We need to develop new fascia, new connectivity. Opportunities crop up in new places. The Integrator
Blog News and Reports is meant to provide you with information, insights and tools to enhance integrated care in the environment you serve.
- John Weeks, publisher-editor
The Coming of the Light! A Solstice-Celebrating Integrator Top 10 from 2006
For the impatient, progress is always caught in a traffic jam. Looking back, we see how far we have come.
The year of 2006 has seen many advances for the multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder field of integrated
health care. This article, published on the winter solstice, provides you with the Integrator Top 10 from
2006 - with links, should you wish to explore them further. Send your suggestions, disagreements, and
reflections. Here's to the coming of the light! Link
Working Class Acupuncture: Revolutionary Model Creates Access, Fosters Business Potential
Lisa Rohleder, LAc, and her partners at Portland, Oregon-based Working Class Acupuncture argue that the best
way to integrate acupuncture into the health care of US citizens is to radically restructure the practice.
They recommend a sliding scale ($15-$35), high volume practice which is delivered in community rooms.
Rohleder and her group feel they have proved the model and are now rolling it out the model nationally
through development of a Community Acupuncture Network which already boasts 19 members. Rohleder suggests
that the approach may not only be a "remedy" for acupuncture's access issues, but also for the problems
many licensed acupuncturists have in creating live-able incomes through acupuncture practice.Link
Good Samaritan Hospital and Emperors College Engage Cost/Care Project Looking at Broad, Trusting,
Inpatient Look at Well-Integrated Acupuncture
Well-integrated acupuncture, as provided by licensed acupuncturists, is finally getting a test in inpatient
care in a US hospital. Through relationships built between Los Angeles' Good Samaritan Hospital (GSH) and
Emperors College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jeannette Painovich, LAc, DAOM will soon be managing a
$218,500 research project. LAcs will practice side-by-side with conventional MDs and nurses in treating a
whole array of critical conditions. Clinical, patient satisfaction and cost outcomes will be measured,
with a particular focus on potential savings in the area of length of stay. A key element in the set-up
is the acupuncture profession's new Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) clinical doctorate,
through which GSH will have its acupuncture clinicians. The project has more potential for impact on US
health care than any dozen acupuncture RCTs.Link
Portrait of the AOM Profession Via 6 Years of Acupuncture Today Polls
Since 2000, Acupuncture Today has presented its readers with a monthly poll on topical issues: priorities
for the profession, practice style, educational influences and the always controversial: Should MDs,
DCs and NDs be allowed to practice acupuncture. While there are no controls on the site regarding who
can register an opinion, and participation rates very significantly from question to question, the
impressionistic picture, if dangerously un-controlled, has its intriguing elements.Link
Payne on a University-Based, Integration-Oriented Yoga Therapy Rx Program: What Part in Yoga's Future?
This penultimate article in the Future of Yoga Therapy series examines the program Larry Payne, PhD offers
through Loyola Marymount University extension: a certificate program that prepares Yoga therapists to work
in close association with medical doctors, chiropractors and other health care professionals. More of CAM
and less of Ayurveda is the way Payne describes it. Will this training of Yoga practitioners become an
important line in the field's maturation? Is there a loss in this direction? This Integrator series is
sponsored by the International Association of Yoga Therapists.Link
The Integrator is made possible through sponsorships from NCMIC, Triad Healthcare, Standard Process, Alternative Medicine Integration Group, Health Practitioners Online and individuals who voluntarily contribute.
The Status and Future of Acupuncture Research
2007 Annual Conference of the Society for Acupuncture Research
10 Years Post - NIH Consensus Conference
http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/07/02/2007sarconf.pdf
2006 Teacher of the Year Award Announced
The American Association for Teachers of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AATAOM) announces Dr. Jake Paul Fratkin 2006 Teacher of the Year
AATAOM awarded Dr. Jake Paul Fratkin their 2006 Teacher of the Year for his excellence and dedication to teaching in the field of acupuncture and Oriental medicine at the annual AAOM awards dinner in Litchfield, Arizona in October.
Some of the criteria used when selecting the recipient of this award include presentation and communication skills, organization of materials, ability to interface with the audience, relevance and applicability of content, and the use of teaching aids (i.e. handouts, overhead projector, Powerpoint presentations, physical demonstrations, etc.).
Dr. Fratkin’s seminars exemplify the work and preparation that goes into delivering information in a clear, concise, effective manner through the use of teaching aids/props, organization of materials, and interfacing with the audience. He is able to deliver the information in an organized way while allowing for questions and discussion at appropriate intervals. He also takes the time to make sure students understand the points and principles being presented. The subject matter is practical and clinically-applicable, with students being able to implement the skills taught immediately in their practices. While demonstrating practical aspects of the presentation, Dr. Fratkin utilizes space and positioning in the room to ensure that all can see what he is doing (without his back being turned to the audience!), and furthermore, that there is understanding of what is happening to the patient as he teaches the skill.
AATAOM recognizes his dedication to the profession of teaching, and his passion for sharing knowledge to improve the quality of practitioners of acupuncture and Oriental medicine.
AATAOM is the national news, information, and educational association supporting the development and advancement of the teachers of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. We welcome member input and provide a unique forum for educators, institutions, students, and leaders in the teaching field to share ideas, concerns, strategies and innovative teaching methodologies.
Membership in AATAOM is open to anyone interested in supporting the acupuncture and Oriental medicine teaching profession and the future of Oriental medicine. Help shape the future of AOM education by becoming a member today. For more information, please visit our website at www.aataom.org or call us at 512.454.0006.
Julie Peretz,
founder of the Eastern School, Montclair, NJ, died of cancer on Friday, January 19th at a local hospice/hospital. A memorial service was held on January 25 in Montclair.
ALL ABOARD the ORIENT EXPRESS!!!
for the AAAOM-SO Two for One
February Membership Drive
Six $250.00 Lottery Scholarships to Be Awarded!
Greetings AAAOM-SO Members, OM Students, and the Profession-at-Large:
During February, 2007 the American Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Student Organization (AAAOM-SO) is offering 2 Student Memberships for the Price of 1, and One $250.00 Lottery Scholarship will be Awarded to a Student Member, who Joins or Renews in February, in Each of the Six AAAOM-SO Regions!!! If you don’t have a partner, we’ll match you up to allow all the 2 for 1 benefit. Each person joining or renewing must complete a separate online application, thus the fee charged will be 50% of the new annual $50.00 student rate, or $25 per membership.
Please view our February 2 for 1 Membership Special (PDF) presentation.
Why Join? Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine is the fastest growing sector of health care in this country and you’re a part of it! The AAAOM-SO is Inviting You to Jump on the Orient Express and Get on Board - not just for the ride of your life, but so you’re in the best possible position to Help Steer Yourself into a Winning Year & Career in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine!
The AAAOM and AAAOM-SO are Important Nationwide Professional Advocacy Groups Dedicated to the Interests of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, and to Your Professional Successful Future! Would you like to graduate from college and have a national portable license (reciprocity) that allows you to practice anywhere in the United States? Would you like complete access to all Chinese Herbal Medicines? Would you like full insurance and Medicare reimbursements for your future practice? Would you enjoy mentorship programs that enable you to get advice from leading practicing professionals? Would you benefit from tools to help you market your business and increase your chances for a booming future practice? Are you interested in the opportunity for Student Loan Forgiveness Programs, and lower interest rates? These are some of the goals the AAAOM and AAAOM-SO are already working and making progress on. Membership volumes count on legislative issues! You can help make these goals a reality by becoming an AAAOM-SO member! AAAOM-SO Membership & Benefits for 2 are available this FEBRUARY ONLY for $25.00 EACH! Make Sure You Have Your Ticket to Professional Success and an Endless Track of Opportunities as an AAAOM-SO Member!
Scholarship Lottery: The AAAOM and AAAOM-SO are Partnering to Offer One $250.00 Lottery Scholarship to Each of the Six AAAOM-SO Regions. Lottery Scholarship entry is automatic for all students, who either renew current memberships or become a new member this February! Student Memberships will be sorted by Region in March, Lottery Scholarship drawings will take place in April, Winners will be announced in May, and all Lottery Scholarships will be awarded in June, 2007.
A list of Scholarship Lottery Winners will be available on line following the April drawing – visit www.aaom.org, and click the Student Services button. The AAAOM recognizes that students are a large part of the future of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine nationwide, and they’re committed to encouraging student membership and participation in the AAAOM-SO - the only National Organization created specifically for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Students.
Campaign Timeline: Join or Renew your AAAOM-SO Membership this February, Gain the Opportunity to Win a $250.00 Lottery Scholarship, and Be a Part of Shaping Your Future, as well as the Future of Health Care Across the U.S. If you or anyone you know isn’t already a member of the AAAOM-SO, or your membership or theirs is going to expire anytime during 2007 (all remaining membership time will be retained), Sign Up this February with Another Student and You’ll Receive 2 Memberships for Just $50.00 – A Full Year of AAAOM-SO Membership and Benefits for 2 at ONLY $25.00 Each!
The Orient Express Begins Boarding February 1st for a Destination Year & Career of Professional Success in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine! The AAAOM-SO 2 for 1 Membership Special lasts only during the month of February. Sign up online at www.aaom.org (and click the Student Services button on the blue panel at the left). Join the AAAOM-SO on the Orient Express - Jump on the Fast Track to Your Winning Year & Career, and Enjoy Your Ticket to Professional Success!
How do I Join: Simply complete the online application today! Our online application has been amended for the Month of February to calculate the amount due at the discounted student rate of $25 annually.
Rhonda Wilbur and Koala Moore, Co-Presidents
AAOM-SO (Nationwide Student Organization)
Chow Qigong Intensive Level 1 Training 2007
Renew, revitalize, and replenish your energy!
March 23-25; April 13-15; May 25-27
We would like to invite you to another exciting Chow Qigong Intensive Level I Training coming in March, April and May, 2007 in San Francisco, CA. Come join us as we explore Chow Medical Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine as it relates to our mind, body, and health.
Exciting news! This life-changing course is 1 weekend a month for 4 months from February to May 2007 in lovely San Francisco. You will be able to meet Qigong Grandmaster Dr. Effie Chow in person and learn many different ways on how to deal with everyday stress and to promote good health. Come and join us, we’ll have fun while learning new things. Invite your loved ones, children and friends to make it an experience you will always remember.
“Effie Chow is one of the strongest energy-based healers and acupuncturist I have met and I have seen with my own eyes some of the remarkable results of her Qigong work.” Dr. Deepak Chopra.
To register or for more information about becoming a certified Chow Qigong practitioner, visit www.eastwestqi.com or call (415) 285-9400. The Early-bird fee by Feb 15, 2007 is $1990 US. The Regular Fee is $2250 US for the 4-weekend program. On and after the first day of class fee is $2500 US. And $550 US each weekend if paid separately. Space is limited so register early. A non-refundable $500 US deposit will hold space. Come for one day, one weekend, or the four whole weekends of healing…It’s up to you! Special: For each fully paid student that you sign up, you will receive a $300 discount. Immediate family members may have 50% discount tuition (with documentation)!
East West Academy of Healing Arts (EWAHA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1973 by Dr. Effie Poy Yew Chow, dedicated to integrating holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Modern Western Medicine (MWM) with a special focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Qigong. We foster the practice of excellence in promoting optimum health through educational, clinical, and research activities. To do so, we utilize holistic subtle energy healing concepts of Body, Mind, and Spirit connecting with nature. Our goals include bringing the best of health care for all people, giving hope and results for our clients with serious and minor conditions where all else may have previously failed. We celebrate the miracle of life. Our new program, "The International Children and Youth Project for Healing and Peace" will emanate this miracle.
Pacific College Welcomes Giovanni Maciocia to Faculty
Pacific College of Oriental Medicine is proud to announce that Giovanni Maciocia will be joining our San Diego faculty. As a world-renowned practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine he will be an exciting new force on our campus. Giovanni will be a regular faculty member of our doctoral program and a guest lecturer in our master's program. He is also slotted to participate in our Pacific Symposium and special events at our Chicago and New York campuses.
Often noted as the father of Chinese medicine in Europe, Giovanni Maciocia is best known as the author of "Tongue Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine", "The Foundations of Chinese Medicine", "The Practice of Chinese Medicine", and "Obstetrics and Gynecology in Chinese Medicine". His textbooks are a learning staple in acupuncture colleges worldwide.
Maciocia's own education began in England where he attended the International College of Oriental Medicine and graduated with a degree in acupuncture in 1974. Since then he has attended three post-graduate courses at the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and graduated from the National Institute of Medical Herbalists in 1977.
He has been teaching acupuncture and Chinese medicine internationally since 1974. In 1996 he was appointed as a visiting professor at the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the top Oriental medicine college in China. His style is described as rigorous, meticulous, and innovative, a reflection of his own dedication to the profession.
Giovanni Maciocia is an innovator of medical technique and theory and an experienced guide in the world of Oriental medicine. He is constantly adapting Oriental medical techniques and theories to Western cultural conditions and diseases. Most recently, Giovanni formulated an original theory on the aetiology and pathology of asthma and allergic rhinitis. He also penned a theory on the aetiology, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome, a newly discovered disease with no Chinese medical documentation.
Also well known for his successful herbal formulas "The Three Treasures" and "The Women's Treasure". Giovanni is also credited with developing the first line of Chinese herbal formulae to treat women's gynecological complaints. With his extensive Chinese medical knowledge Giovanni Maciocia is an amazing asset to our campus. To learn more about Giovanni Maciocia please contact Pacific College at (800) 729-0941 or visit www.pacificcollege.edu.
NCCAOM 2007 Examination Administration
We are pleased to announce some exciting, new upgrades to the examination administration process for 2007 as we continue to bring our testing program to be level with best practices in the testing industry and in line with the rest of the health profession certification agencies. During this process we have also taken into consideration important concerns raised by Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) members to our Executive Committee regarding some of the changes that were planned for the examination administration in 2007. We have tailored these changes to take into account the input from the Council.
In an effort to assist our candidates and school representatives in understanding our plans for a better examination process beginning in 2007, we have created a list of questions and answers that explain in detail what these changes will entail for candidates. We have a high level of commitment to upholding the integrity of the NCCAOM certification as a meaningful measure of entry-level competency in order to protect the public safety. This commitment cannot be overstated; it is a requirement of our mission, which is to establish, assess, and promote recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the protection and benefit of the public.
Q.1: When can I take the next examination as I do not see a schedule of exams on the website?
A.1: NCCAOM is pleased to announce year-round testing beginning on February 15, 2007, which means that “Approved to Test” candidates (who have received an approval letter in the mail from NCCAOM) can now register for the NCCAOM examination(s) throughout the year, pending availability at their desired Pearson Vue test center locations. Candidates can register for the examinations(s) by calling Pearson VUE directly or registering online. (The “Approved to Test” letter will have detailed registration information and instructions.) Previously, candidates had to wait for February, June or October to test. Candidates can now register for their exams according to their own schedule and at their own convenience. Pearson VUE offers more than 350 test centers around the world. When they register, candidates can pay Pearson Vue directly for their exams using Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards. Any candidates approved to take the next examination administration can take advantage of registering for year-round testing or adaptive testing as of December 20, 2006. This means that “Approved to Test” candidates can start to register for the exams on or after December 20, 2006. Please remember that year-round examinations will begin February 15, 2007.
Q.2: What does Open Registration mean and why is there no application or registration deadlines announcement?
A.2: Open registration means that candidates no longer have to wait for the NCCAOM examinations to be announced. Once candidates are approved to test, they can register and schedule their exam for any time that is available at a Pearson VUE testing center. This means that candidates can test and be finished with the examination cycles more quickly than before and at a time more convenient for them. Year-round examinations will allow candidates to become certified and licensed to practice much faster than in the years past.
One of the great benefits of year-round testing is that there is no need to for the NCCAOM to enforce application or registration deadlines. Candidates can send in their application when they have completed their education and will be able to test after they receive an approval letter from NCCAOM. This also means that candidates no longer have to wait for the next examination cycle to register and test. Thus, candidates do not need to wait for the next application cycle if they have missed an application deadline, or to rush to send in their application for the upcoming examination administration. With year-round testing, candidates can test at their own pace. Please remember that candidates must still allow 10-12 weeks for processing of their application before they are approved to test. It is also important to remember that candidates have four years from the date that NCCAOM receives their application to test and become certified.
Q.3: What exams will be offered year-round and are you combining any of the exams?
A.3: The NCCAOM will be offering Foundations of Oriental Medicine, Biomedicine, Chinese Herbology and Acupuncture combined with Point Location, throughout the year. It is important to reiterate that the Acupuncture and Point Location modules will now be combined into a single test. The combined test will have 100 questions and candidates will have 2 ½ hours to complete the exam. By taking the combined examination, candidates will save $90.00 as compared to taking the examinations separately. Although this is a combined test, you must pass both the acupuncture and the point location sections of the examination. This ensures that your examination will meet the licensure requirements of state regulatory boards. The Point Location images and questions will be woven into the single exam.
The Asian Bodywork examination will still be offered during a two-week time period in October of every year. The exact dates will be announced closer to the examination period.
Q.4: What if I failed the Point Location examination or the Acupuncture examination? How can I retake this exam in the new format?
A.4: If you have already passed either Acupuncture or Point Location, but not both, you have several options: *If you need to repeat the Acupuncture exam, you can either take a separate Acupuncture exam in February 2007, which is composed of 100 questions, or you can take a traditional computer-based linear exam in April or October of 2007. (A computer-based linear exam is not a computer adaptive exam.) *If you need to repeat the Point Location exam and want to take the exam in February 2007, you must take the combined Acupuncture and Point Location exam (The computer adaptive model of test administration will not support short test length). However, you can register for the separate Point Location exam in April or October of 2007. In April and October, the exam will be in the traditional computer-based linear format. (Again, a computer-based linear exam is not a computer adaptive exam. See Question 11 for an explanation of the linear format). There will be a two-week window during which candidates can take the longer traditional exams.
Q.5: What about those who want to take the test in Chinese or Korean?
A.5: All foreign language examinations will still only be offered for a two-week window in October of each year. Testing dates will be announced closer to the examination period.
Q.6: Are you planning on combining any other exams?
A.6: At this time, we are not planning to combine any of the other examination modules. We had made an announcement at the 2006 AAOM meeting that we planned to combine the Foundations of Oriental Medicine module and the Biomedicine Module, but after a dialogue with CCAOM members, the NCCAOM has decided to forgo those plans.
Q.7: What does year-round testing mean for scoring? Does this mean that I will receive my exam results faster?
A.7: Yes! Year-round testing made possible by adaptive testing (see Questions 8 and 9 for information about adaptive testing) will enable NCCAOM to provide you with immediate preliminary result status. This means that candidates will receive a preliminary pass/fail screen immediately after their exam. The only exception will be the Acupuncture and Point Location Module. Because we want to ensure that the scores for all parts of the Acupuncture Point Location Module are accurate, we are not reporting those examination results at the test conclusion. When enough candidates have taken the combined exam and we are able to verify the quality assurance, examination results will be available at the conclusion of the exam.
The official examination results will be sent out to candidates every two weeks. The state licensing boards will also receive your examination results at a much quicker rate, which means that the time passed before receiving your license will be greatly reduced.
Q.8: Are the formats of the other exams going to change?
A.8: In the new year-round testing format, the Chinese Herbology and Foundations of Oriental Medicine examinations have been shortened to 100 questions with a 2 ½ hour time limit.
There is no change to the Biomedicine examination in the year-round testing format. This test will continue to consist of 50 questions with one hour allotted for completion.
In order for NCCAOM to be able to provide you with year-round testing and to provide an immediate preliminary pass/fail screen, starting in February 2007, we are offering candidates a form of testing called adaptive testing. What this means to the candidates is that each examination is different and is geared towards the ability of the candidate. If a question is answered correctly, the next question is slightly more difficult. If a question is answered incorrectly, the next question will be slightly easier. One feature that will be different from the linear testing format is the ability to review exam questions once you have finished answering the questions. As adaptive testing measures your content knowledge with each question, you will be unable to go back to a question once you have moved on to the next question.
Although adaptive testing has been in use by other certification organizations for more than 15 years, some of you may have concerns about taking this new type of exam. We have built in several measures to provide an opportunity for you to "test it out.” Any candidate who takes the adaptive examination in February or March of 2007 and does not pass will have the opportunity to take the traditional computer-based linear test during the two-week administration in April 2007 and receive a 10% discount on the testing fee. In addition, any examination that you did not pass in the new format will not count on your record! Further, for candidates who receive a fail on any adaptive exam during February and March, the results of the adaptive exam will not be sent to a licensing board. However, for those candidates who pass an adaptive exam during these months, their examination results will be immediately released to the licensing boards.
Q.9: Can you explain adaptive testing in more detail and what this means to us as candidates?
A.9: An internet search will help you to find many different methods of explaining Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT). The easiest explanation we have is that it is a computerized test in which the computer selects the examination questions based on the individual candidate’s ability. Some have compared it to jumping a high bar – if you get over the bar, the next time the bar is higher, but if you miss the bar is lowered. Of course, in this example, if the bar is too low you cannot pass the examination. Another analogy is to that of an interview. When someone is being interviewed, the interviewer will adjust the difficulty of the questions based on previous responses.
The objective of adaptive testing is to determine the candidate’s ability with the least amount of measurement error. It is not the number of correct or incorrect questions, but the overall score based on the difficulty of the questions, the overall examination and the ability of the candidate.
One aspect of adaptive testing that is hard to explain is that the best candidates feel as if they have just taken the hardest exam of their academic career. This is, unfortunately, the nature of this exam type. In trying to determine the candidate’s ability, the exam will continue to get more and more difficult. The candidate should not panic as this is a direct result of doing very well. Another aspect that candidates do not like is that you cannot review or go back to change your answers. Before moving on to your next question, you must answer each one.
Q.10: What benefits will be available to me if I take the CAT or adaptive format of the exam?
A.10: There are many benefits that candidates will enjoy with adaptive and year-round testing as outlined above. These include no eligibility deadlines and a preliminary pass/fail screen immediately following the exam (except for the Acupuncture and Point Location Module – see Question 7). These results are preliminary because the quality control check will not have been completed. Your examination can be scheduled at your convenience at over 350 test centers around the world; your application materials can be submitted at any time (please allow 10-12 weeks for processing); and, finally, at the end of the examination you will be able to review your preliminary result status, which allows for more expedient result release to state licensure boards. The other most obvious positive changes are that of a shorter examinations and lower overall costs.
For those who will be taking the CAT exams in 2007, there will be additional built-in incentives. Any candidate who takes an adaptive examination in February or March of 2007 and fails an exam will be allowed to retest in the equivalent linear computer-based test version in April with no record of failing the adaptive exam they took initially. These candidates will also receive a 10% discount on any retests they take in April. And, the first computer adaptive test score will not be counted for either the candidates, or for their school’s performance report. Only passing examination results will be reported on school performance reports for candidates taking the first computer adaptive tests (between February and March of 2007). We believe this will benefit both the schools and NCCAOM. Furthermore, the adaptive exams will be comprised of questions that have already been vetted through our testing system. As per our normal procedures, questions that need additional work have been removed from the test bank.
Q.11: What is the difference between adaptive and linear testing and will you be offering both of these examination administrations in 2007?
A.11: Computer Adaptive Testing is described above (see Question 9) and will be offered year-round starting February 15, 2007. In computer-based linear exams, examinees are given a fixed set of questions. Linear exams will be offered during two weeks in April and October (dates will be announced closer to the exam periods). Candidates will have a choice as to which type of exam, adaptive or linear, will best suit their needs. Candidates who wish to take the linear format of the exams must let the NCCAOM know of their plans before they register for the exams.
The following table shows the differences between the adaptive and linear examinations:
| Computer Adaptive | Linear | ||||||
| Exam | Questions | Time | Costs | Questions | Time | Costs | |
| Acupuncture | 100 | 2.5hrs | $250 | 90 | 2hrs | $210 | |
| Point Location | N/A | 25 | 1hr | $130 | |||
| Acupuncture with Point Location | 100 | 2.5hrs | $250 | N/A | |||
| Biomedicine | 50 | 1hr | $150 | 50 | 1hr | $150 | |
| Chinese Herbology | 100 | 2.5hrs | $250 | 120 | 3hrs | $260 | |
| Foundations of Oriental Medicine | 100 | 2.5hrs | $250 | 125 | 3hrs | $250 | |
Offering both adaptive and linear exams in the spring of 2007 will allow us all to compare these exams to the same standard NCCAOM used in 2006. Although research has been performed on adaptive testing for more than 15 years, this will give us an opportunity to show direct comparisons between the two types of examination administration: computer adaptive and computer-based linear exams. We will be able to provide a performance analysis of first-time adaptive test takers compared to first-time linear test takers. We hope this will help to demonstrate for the AOM community the equivalency of these two methods of exam administration.
Q.12. If I fail the CAT exams in February, can I immediately sign up for the exam again?
A.12: Yes. With adaptive testing, you can sign up immediately to test again; however, it is recommended that you give yourself at least two months to prepare for the retake of the examination that you failed.
Q.13. So as I understand it, if I do not pass an exam in February and March, it won't be counted against me?
A.13: It will not be counted against you as long as you take the linear exam in April 2007.
NCCAOM Update on Relocation to Jacksonville, FL
Important Timeline and Communication Plan Set for Dates of Office Move
ALEXANDRIA, VA., February 16, 2007 - The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) announced the relocation of their offices from Alexandria, VA to Jacksonville, FL late last year and continues in its commitment to inform NCCAOM Diplomates and stakeholders about recent updates regarding the move.The actual physical move of the office will be taking place during the last week of February to the first week of March. From that point forward; NCCAOM staff will not be able to communicate directly with Diplomates, candidates and schools. This period of transition will take place from February 24, 2007 to March 4, 2007 and includes all contact via email or telephone. There will be an answering service to leave messages for urgent business during this time, and this phone number will be posted on the website on February 24, 2007. NCCAOM will resume regular operations on March 5, 2007 as we commence business at our new location at 76 South Laura Street, Suite 1290, Jacksonville, FL 32202. During this transition period, the staff will not be reachable and will be unable to return any calls or emails since our computer and telephone systems will not be operating fully until March 5, 2007.
Please continue to send all mail and overnight deliveries to the Alexandria office until February 27, 2007. After March 1, 2007, all mail and overnight deliveries should be sent to the Jacksonville address. All mail that is sent to the Alexandria office after March 1 will be forwarded to the Jacksonville office by the U.S. Postal Service, hence there will be a delay in receiving mail that is sent to Alexandria after February 27, 2007.
We understand that this transition period may pose an inconvenience for some of our Diplomates and candidates and as a result we will be posting updated information on our website, www.nccaom.org, which will be operating during this transition period. The website will be your best source for current information about the relocation. We are committed to ensuring that this relocation continues to be a smooth transition and that we continue to communicate with our Diplomates, candidates and stakeholders throughout the relocation process.
If you have any questions about this announcement, please contact Mina Larson, Director of Communications and Marketing at mlarson@nccaom.org
nuherbs® Scholarship Program
nuherbs Co. is proud to reintroduce its industry first Traditional Chinese Medicine scholarship
program in celebration of the launch of nuherbs® Lab Tested Herbs, our full line of
preservative-free geo-authentic Chinese Herbs.
Each batch of our geo-authentic Chinese Herbs is laboratory tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and micro bacteria.
The nuherbs® Scholarship Program will be offering three scholarships for current students of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the Fall 2007 Term:
the nuherbs® Scholarship ($2,000)
the Herbal Times® Scholarship ($1,500)
and the Jade Dragon® Scholarship ($1000)
For more information please visit us at www.nuherbs.com/giving/education or call Wilson Lau at (800) 233-4307.
Clinical Master Tung's Acupuncture
Taught by Robert Chu, L.Ac. QME, PhD
Saturday and Sunday, March 17-18, 2007, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – 15 CEUs Approved
Learn the essentials of the Master Tung Acupuncture system, with the proper principles and concepts that made Master Tung Taiwan's greatest Acupuncturist in the last generation. Students and practitioners will be taught the most essential points to use in the clinic for commonly seen problems. Point location and hands on practice will be a part of this class. Please bring your own needles and alcohol preps!
On Day 1, students and practitioners will be taught the principles of Master Tung's Acupuncture, then followed by Master Tung's top 18 points, then move Into Neuromusculoskeletal disorders. On Day 2, a discussion of Tung's points for Internal Medicine problems and making the transition from diagnosing from TCM to Master Tung's system will be addressed.
8:30 a.m. registration at:
Sheraton LaGuardia East
135-20 39th Ave.
Flushing, NY 11354
Tel: 718-460-6666
Fax: 718-460-0254
Fee: $325/2 days, students $250/2 days, $25 discount for early registration by March 1, 2007
No refunds. Seating is limited! Call 626 487-1815 to register.
Robert Chu, an exciting and dynamic speaker, has been practicing the Martial and Chinese healing arts since childhood and specializes in Master Tung Acupuncture and Optimal Acupuncture methods for treating pain, neuromusculoskeletal disorders, and internal medicine problems. Dr. Chu is a graduate and Diplomate in Tung’s Acupuncture under Dr. Young Wei-Chieh of the World Association of Tung’s Acupuncture.
He founded, in mid 2005, ITARA (International Tung’s Acupuncture Research Association), a non-political organization devoted to the preservation, standardization, education, and research of Tung’s Acupuncture, offering classes for the spread and advancement of Tung’s Acupuncture.
In July of 2004, Dr. Chu was selected as the Acupuncturist to Olympic athletes at the Olympic Trials held in Sacramento, CA. He has lectured throughout the United States, Canada and Europe on Master Tung’s Acupuncture. This is his second visit to NYC to teach this dynamic system!
Robert Chu, L.Ac., QME, PhD
chusauli@hotmail.com
In closing…
We are pleased to announce news on our upcoming conferences in New Orleans and Portland. We have provided a link to the New Orleans brochure. Exhibitor information is anticipated within one week. Exhibitor information for the Expo 2007 in Portland has been available since October, 2006. The speaker line-up is nearing finalization. Speakers selected will be notified the week of March 5, 2007.
The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (was the AOM Alliance)
announces that the New Orleans Conference brochure is available for download and that
registration is now open for this conference.
New Orleans Conference Brochure (PDF)
AAOM Announces
Expo 2007 Portland
Venue: The Hilton Executive Tower
Date: October 19 – 21, 2007
(Pre-Conf: 18th – Post-Conf: 22nd)
Expo 2007 Portland
Exhibitors Brochure
(Booths 48, 50, 58, 62, 65, 68-71, 76-80, 82, 87 are sold.)
”He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and in all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.” Gautama Siddharta
Sincerely,
Rebekah Christensen,
Executive Director