The California Acupuncture Board, Education Committee recommends changes to requirements for acupuncture college curriculum and acupuncture CEUs (continuing education units) for California. 
Acupuncture CEUsThe Education Committee recommends “an additional 360 hours to the training programs curriculum with 120 hours focused on Anatomy including Cadaver work and dissection, 120 hours of pathophysiology with laboratory work and 120 hours of orthopedic examination based on Tui Na and Traditional Asian Medicine.” The committee also recommends a one-time acupuncturist continuing education course “focusing on ethics as it pertains to the practice and business of acupuncture.” Additionally, an acupuncturist continuing education course “on changes in practice law and updates is recommended to be required to practitioners such that they are kept up to date with changes in the law that may affect their practice.”
NCCAOM & Florida
Precedent for some of the California Acupuncture Board, Education Committee’s recommendations has been set on the national level by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) and on the state level by the Florida Board of Acupuncture. The NCCAOM requires four hours of safety and/or ethics continuing education courses for acupuncturists every four years. However, the California Acupuncture Board requires 50 acupuncture CEUs every two years while the NCCAOM sets this requirement to 60 CEUs (PDAs) every four years. Of note, the NCCAOM has an additional four hour requirement of CPR training as part of the required 60 CEUs. The Florida Board of Acupuncture requires two hours of “Florida Laws and Rules” acupuncture CEUs every two years. At this time, the NCCAOM does not place this requirement in the PDA (professional development activity) program.
No changes to California acupuncture CEUs or college curriculum requirements has been made by the California Acupuncture Board as of this date. The Education Committee of the California Acupuncture Board will meet again to discuss the future of acupuncturist education in California.
