Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, is a discreet and independent health care profession. It is not simply a technique that can easily be added to the array of techniques of some other health care profession. The study of Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and Chinese herbs is as rigorous as is the study of allopathic, chiropractic, naturopathic, or homeopathic medicine. Previous training in any one of these other systems does not automatically confer competence or knowledge in Chinese medicine. In order to get the full benefits and safety of Chinese medicine, one should seek out professionally trained and credentialed practitioners. ─ Bob Flaws, author editor and translator of over 80 books on Chinese medicine

N.B. – For Residents of Oklahoma
     
     In the U.S., each state sets its own standards for acupuncturists and Chinese medicine. In a few states acupuncturists have physician status. In others, acupuncture is not regulated at all or still illegal. This situation has led to the formation of the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). This Commission administers a national board examination in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in order to insure minimum levels of professional competence and safety.
     
     When is a Practitioner Qualified?
     
     Laws are changing rapidly; so are educational standards and training in Chinese medicine. You'll find a confusing variety of initials after acupuncturists' names:
     
     C.A. - Certified Acupuncturist. Not necessarily a license to practice. This means that an acupuncture school has granted this person a certificate of completion. Beware, since school programs can vary from 200 hours of training to 2,000 hours.
     
     L.Ac. - Licensed Acupuncturist. This is a license to practice. These practitioners have passed state board examinations. In California and New Mexico, these acupuncturists are primary care physicians, which means you can use them as your doctor. They can order lab tests, do physical exams, accept insurance (when it covers acupuncture), and supervise Worker's Comp cases.
     
     O.M.D. or D.O.M. - Doctor of Oriental Medicine. This is not a license to practice. It's a doctoral degree offered by a school (which are not necessarily accredited). Please note, if the school is not accredited, these degrees have no legal status in the U.S.
     
     M.D. (China) - Medical Doctor, licensed only in China. These initials don't indicate any training in Oriental medicine. Physicians trained in conventional Western medicine in China are not allowed to practice medicine in the U.S. Since they are unable to practice western medicine in the U.S., some take up the practice of Oriental medicine instead.
     
     Dipl.Ac. or Dipl.C.H. - Diplomate in Acupuncture or Diplomate in Herbology. Those who pass the NCCAOM acupuncture exam append the letters Dipl.Ac. (Diplomate of Acupuncture) after their names, while those that pass the NCCAOM Chinese herbal exam use the letters Dipl.C.H. (Diplomate of Acupuncture). Though not a license, the acupuncture test is used by many states as a qualifying exam.