National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
11 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703/548-9004
Fax: 703/548-9079

September 7, 2006

FSOMA Meeting

The NCCAOM would like to thank FSOMA for giving us the opportunity to address this group today.  Unfortunately, Mina Larson, our Director of Communications and Marketing, was taken ill and could not be here.  However, the NCCAOM would like to take this time to thank FSOMA for its interest and support and to recognize the growing relationship between our organizations. 

It was a pleasure to speak to the members of FSOMA last year at this time. We were impressed with your enthusiasm and dedication to acupuncture and Oriental medicine.  We left last year’s meeting believing that FSOMA was one of the most dynamic membership groups in the AOM community.  We believe that by combining our efforts, along with other professional organizations, that we can bring about numerous advances in our profession that could not have achieved independently.   We thank you for your willingness to get involved in promoting and raising the standard of  this wonderful profession. 

As many of you already know the mission of the NCCAOM is to promote nationally recognized standards of competency and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the purpose of protecting the public.  This makes us partners with states and professional organizations in our work to protect the public safety.  It makes it imperative that we strive to foster unity and cooperation and the exchange of information with organizations such as the FSOMA and its members.

As part of this exchange of information, we would like to take this opportunity to announce a change in our policy for FSOMA members who are current NCCAOM Diplomates and who are seeking certification in Oriental medicine.  Diplomates seeking OM Certification are no longer required to have a CNT certificate issued within the past six years. The NCCAOM Board recently voted to eliminate this requirement. For those seeking more information on certification in Oriental medicine, please visit our website, www.nccaom.org or give us a call. 

Another area in which have worked to improve our communication with FSOMA members and NCCAOM Diplomates is customer service.  In an effort to enhance communications between our Diplomates and the NCCAOM staff , we now have a new, staff contact customer service section on our webpage.  We have posted contact information for each area of interest that you as Diplomates and/or applicants may have.  We have also expanded our Professional Development Activity (PDA) listings significantly this year.  This, too, can be easily accessed through our webpage. The new NCCAOM Candidate Handbook is now, for the first time, posted online. It can be downloaded directly from our website. Alternatively, print copies can also be purchased from us.

Finally, we would like to remind all NCCAOM Diplomates in the audience that it takes approximately 6 weeks for recertification review.  Recertification applications and handbooks are sent out three months prior to your expiration date and are also available on our website if you wish to review it earlier.  A reminder is sent six months prior to expiration and another letter is sent prior to your certification becoming lapsed.  It is also very important that you remember to keep us up to date on your current address, telephone number and email address which you can change yourself on our website.

Noteworthy, is the upcoming 25th Anniversary of the NCCAOM in 2007.  We would love to hear from you regarding your photos or stories about the profession in the last 25 years. Please contact Mina Larson at mlarson@nccaom.org.

Once again, we regret missing this opportunity to speak to you in person.  However, we hope to be invited back next year and will look forward to speaking to you then.  In the meantime, if you have questions relating to any aspect of your certification, please send us an email or give us a call.  Thanks again for all you do to support our profession.

With best regards,

Betsy Smith