Applicants for licensure by examination must establish that he/she has met the following minimal requirements.

1. (1) Applicants who were not enrolled as students prior to August 1, 1997, and completed their education after July 31, 2001, must have completed a core curriculum comparable to that of the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) master’s level program in oriental medicine, or a masters level program in acupuncture with a certificate in herbology, with a minimum of 2,700 hours of supervised instruction.
2. (2) Applicants who were not enrolled as students prior to August 1, 1997, and completed their education prior to July 31, 2001, must have completed 60 college credits from an accredited postsecondary institution prior to completion of a 3-year course of study in acupuncture and oriental medicine with a minimum of 2,025 hours of supervised instruction.
3. (3) Applicants who were enrolled as students in a program prior to August 1, 1997, must have completed at least 900 hours of supervised instruction in traditional oriental acupuncture and at least 600 hours of supervised clinical experience. All applicants under this provision must have started classes no later than February 1, 1998.

4. (4) Applicants for either licensure by examination or licensure by endorsement under s. 457.105(2)(c), F.S., through an active national certification in Oriental Medicine from the National Certification Board for Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM), must establish that he/she has met the following minimal requirements.

   1. (a) All applicants must have 60 hours study in injection therapy, to include:

      1. History and development of acupuncture injection therapy;

      2. Differential diagnosis;

      3. Definitions, concepts, and pathophysiology;

      4. The nature, function, channels entered, and contraindications of herbal, homeopathic, and nutritional injectables;

      5. Diseases amenable to treatment with acupuncture injection therapy and the injectables appropriate to treat them;

      6. Identification of appropriate points for treatment, including palpatory diagnosis;

      7. A review of anatomy and referral zones;

      8. Universal precautions including management of blood borne pathogens and biohazardous waste;

      9. Procedures for injections, including preparing the injectables, contraindications and precautions;

      10. 10 hours of clinical practice on a patient or patients; and

      11. Administration techniques and equipment needed.

      If the 60 hours of study in injection therapy are not documented on the official transcript submitted, a certificate from a board approved provider must be submitted to verify completion.

   2. (b) All applicants must successfully complete 15 hours of supervised instruction in universal precautions and 20 hours of supervised instruction in Florida Statutes and Rules, including Chapters 456 and 457, F.S., and this rule chapter. If either of these areas are not documented on the official transcript submitted, a certificate from a board approved provider must be submitted to verify completion.
   3. (c) Applicants must have completed an eight hour program or its equivalent that incorporates the safe and beneficial use of laboratory test and imaging findings in the practice of acupuncture and oriental medicine. If an 8 hour program is not documented on the official transcript submitted, a certificate from a board approved provider must be submitted to verify completion.

Rulemaking Authority 457.104, 457.105 FS. Law Implemented 457.105, 457.1085 FS. History–New 8-30-84, Formerly 21AA-4.01, Amended 7-20-88, 4-30-89, 9-19-89, 3-18-92, Formerly 21AA-4.001, 61F1-4.001, Amended 3-24-96, Formerly 59M-4.001, Amended 12-31-97, 11-1-99, 6-21-00, 4-3-01, 5-24-04, 10-11-04, 10-24-04, 5-30-07, 3-4-10, 2-7-17, 12-3-18, 7-18-21, 8-20-23, 2-6-25, Technical Change 3-24-26.