January 25, 2018
WHEREAS the California Acupuncture Board (CAB) requested that DCA’s Office of Professional Examination Services (OPES) complete a comprehensive review of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine’s (NCCAOM) examination program. The NCCAOM examinations consist of four exam modules: Foundations of Oriental Medicine (FOM), Biomedicine (BIO), Acupuncture with Point Location (ACPL), and
Chinese Herbology (CH);
WHEREAS the purpose of the OPES review was to evaluate the suitability of the NCCAOM examinations as part of the requirements for licensure as an acupuncturist in California. OPES convened a panel of licensed California acupuncturists to serve as subject matter experts (SMEs) to review the content of each of the four NCCAOM examinations and to compare this content with the test plan for the California Acupuncture Licensure Examination (CALE), as based on the 2015 California Acupuncture Occupational Analysis (CAOA) performed by OPES;
WHEREAS the OPES audit found that the NCCAOM examinations adequately assess most, but not all, of the general areas of entry-level California acupuncture practice (e.g., acupuncture treatment, herbal therapy, diagnostic impressions, etc) identified in the 2015 CAOA;
WHEREAS the OPES audit found that the NCCAOM examinations do not assess California-specific areas of entry level acupuncture practice, including content related to the laws, regulations, and practice requirements specific to California.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that CSOMA supports the adoption of the NCCAOM exam modules in conjunction with a California-specific supplemental exam provided that:
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The NCCAOM modules in combination with, as appropriate, a California-specific supplemental exam that adequately covers all tasks and knowledge relevant to entry-level practice in California;
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The NCCAOM modules in combination with, as appropriate, a California-specific supplemental exam that adequately covers task and knowledge related to the laws, regulations, and practice requirements specific to California; and
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The adequacy of covered tasks and knowledge is confirmed by qualified, third-party psychometricians.
Additional Information Resources
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National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM®) Fact Sheet: Information for California Licensed Acupuncturists and Other Interested Stakeholders about the NCCAOM Testing and Certification Program – January 8, 2018
http://www.nccaom.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/NCCAOM%20Fact%20Sheet%20CA%20Updated.pdf
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Review of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Examinations by the California Acupuncture Board – January 2016
http://www.acupuncture.ca.gov/pubs_forms/nccaom_audit.pdf
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Q & A on Follow-Up Questions Submitted to the NCCAOM Based on the Audit, and How the NCCAOM Can Provide Exam Development and Administrative Services to the CAB for Purposes of Licensure: A Presentation to the CAB – June 11, 2016
Sincerely,
Tiffany Tuftee, CSOMA President
Ra Adcock, CSOMA Executive Director