Section 1140.40  Acupuncture Programs

 

The Division shall approve an applicant's acupuncture program if it meets the minimum criteria of subsection (a) and of either subsection (b) or (c).

 

a)         The school from which the applicant has graduated:

 

1)         Is legally recognized and authorized by the jurisdiction in which it is located to confer an acupuncture degree;

 

2)         Has a faculty that comprises a sufficient number of full-time instructors to make certain that the educational obligations to the student are fulfilled.  The faculty must have demonstrated competence as evidenced by appropriate degrees in their areas of teaching from professional colleges or institutions; and

 

3)         Maintains permanent student records that summarize the credentials for admission, attendance and grades and other records of performance.

 

b)         For a 3-year program, the core curriculum includes a minimum of 1905 hours or its equivalent, within no less than 27 calendar months. This must be composed of at least:

 

1)         795 hours (or its equivalent) in theory and treatment techniques in acupuncture and related studies. 

 

A)        Topics shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

 

i)          History of Acupuncture;

 

ii)         Basic Theory.   Topics shall include, but not be limited to, basic Yin-Yang theory, 8 principles and 5 elements; Zang (viscera) organs and Fu (bowels) organs and extraordinary organs; theory and function of channels (meridians) and collaterals; Qi, blood and body fluids; Qi tonification (supplementation) and sedation (reducing); etiology (the causes of diseases) such as 6 exogenous, 7 emotional factors and non-internal or non-external reasons; pathology;

 

iii)        Point Location and Channel (Meridian) Theory.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, nomenclature and distribution of the 14 channels on the body surface – 12 regular channels, Ren (conception) channel and Du (governing) channel; classification of points; points study should include the method of locating the points, anatomic structures, classification of points, functions and indications, and contraindications; knowledge of the specific point categories, such as the Five Shu points, Yuan (source) points, Luo (connecting) points, Xi (cleft) points, Back-Shu points, Front-Mu points, Crossing points; knowledge of the 8 extraordinary channels and their corresponding points;

 

iv)        Acupuncture Treatment.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, the various evaluation methods utilized in acupuncture practice, differentiation of syndromes according to 8 principles, Qi and blood, Zang-Fu organs and theory of meridians and collaterals; case review, based on history of the patient and charting; the four-examination methods; measuring and recording vital signs and symptoms, to make treatment plans and future prognosis; contraindications of treatment; indications of potential risk to the patient; the need to modify standard therapeutic approach (e.g., infants and children, pregnancy) and apparently benign presentations that may have a more serious cause (hypertension, headaches);

 

v)         Treatment Techniques.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, needle insertion depth, duration, manipulation and withdrawal; the appearance of Qi; Moxa  application, direct and indirect, etc.; other techniques (e.g., bleeding, moxibustion, cupping, Gua Sha, 7 star); tonification and sedation techniques; knowledge relating to the treatment of acute and chronic conditions, first aid, analgesia, anesthesia, and electrical stimulation; safety issues; Oriental bodywork therapy (e.g., Tui Na, Shiatsu, Amma, acupressure, etc.);  contraindication for certain conditions; and

 

vi)        Ethics and Practice Management.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, confidentiality; informed consent; HIPAA guidelines; understanding the scope of practice; recordkeeping: legal requirements, release of data; ethical and legal aspects of referring patients to another practitioner; professional conduct and appropriate interpersonal behavior; laws and regulations governing the practice of acupuncture; recognition and clarification of patient expectations; general liability insurance; legal requirements; professional liability insurance: risk management and quality assurance; building and managing a practice, including ethical and legal aspects of third party reimbursement; professional development.

 

B)        No more than 90 hours may count towards history and ethics and practice management.

 

2)         660 hours (or its equivalent) in clinical training.

 

A)        The program must assure that each student participates in a minimum of 510 hours in the supervised care of patients using acupuncture.  This portion of the clinical training, conducted under the supervision of program-approved supervisors, must consist of at least 250 student-performed treatments where students conduct patient interviews, perform diagnosis and treatment planning, perform appropriate acupuncture treatments, and follow-up on patients' responses to treatment.

 

B)        The supervised clinical practice must be an internship that provides the student training in all phases of patient care and must be conducted in a teaching clinic operated by the institution or in a clinical facility with a formal affiliation with the institution where the institution exercises academic oversight substantially equivalent to the academic oversight exercised for teaching clinics operated by the institution, where:

 

i)          Clinical instructors' qualifications meet school requirements for clinical instruction;

 

ii)         Regular, systematic evaluation of the clinical experience takes place; and

 

iii)        Clinical training supervision procedures are substantially equivalent to those within the teaching clinic operated by the institution.  Student interns must receive training from a variety of clinical faculty in order to ensure that interns are exposed to different practice styles and instructional methods.

 

C)        The program must assure that each student acquires a minimum of 150 hours in observation.

 

3)         450 hours (or its equivalent) in biomedical clinical sciences.

 

A)        Biomedical Clinical Sciences.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, basic science courses; biomedical and clinical concepts and terms; human anatomy and physiology; pathology and the biomedical disease model; pharmacology; the nature of the biomedical clinical process, including history taking, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up; the clinical relevance of laboratory and diagnostic tests and procedures, as well as biomedical physical examination findings; the basis and need for referral and/or consultation; the range of biomedical referral resources and the modalities they employ; and

 

B)        Clean Needle Technique.  Topics shall include infectious diseases, sterilization procedures, needle handling and disposal, and other issues relevant to bloodborne and surface pathogens.

 

c)         For a 4-year program, the core curriculum includes a minimum of 2625 hours, or its equivalent, within no less than 36 calendar months.  This must be composed of at least:

 

1)         795 hours (or its equivalent) in theory and treatment techniques in acupuncture and related studies.

 

A)        Topics shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

 

i)          History of Acupuncture;

 

ii)         Basic Theory.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, basic Yin-Yang theory, 8 principles and 5 elements; Zang (viscera) organs and Fu (bowels) organs and extraordinary organs; theory and function of channels (meridians) and collaterals; Qi, blood and body fluids; Qi tonification (supplementation) and sedation (reducing), etiology (the causes of diseases) such as 6 exogenous, 7 emotional factors and non-internal or non-external reasons; pathology;

 

iii)        Point Location and Channel (Meridian) Theory.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, nomenclature and distribution of the 14 channels on the body surface – 12 regular channels, Ren (conception) channel and Du (governing) channel; classification of points; points study should include the method of locating the points, anatomic structures, classification of points, functions and indications, and contraindications; knowledge of the specific point categories, such as the Five Shu points, Yuan (source) points, Luo (connecting) points, Xi (cleft) points, Back-Shu points, Front-Mu points, Crossing points; knowledge of the 8 extraordinary channels and their corresponding points;

 

iv)        Acupuncture Treatment.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, the various evaluation methods utilized in acupuncture practice, differentiation of syndromes according to 8 principles, Qi and blood, Zang-Fu organs and theory of meridians and collaterals; case review, based on history of the patient and charting; the four-examination methods; measuring and recording vital signs and symptoms, to make treatment plans and future prognosis; contraindications of treatment; indications of potential risk to the patient; the need to modify standard therapeutic approach (e.g., infants and children, pregnancy) and apparently benign presentations that may have a more serious cause (hypertension, headaches);

 

v)         Treatment Techniques.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, needle insertion depth, duration, manipulation and withdrawal; the appearance of Qi; Moxa application, direct and indirect, etc.; other techniques (e.g., bleeding, moxibustion, cupping, Gua Sha, 7 star); tonification and sedation techniques; knowledge relating to the treatment of acute and chronic conditions, first aid, analgesia, anesthesia, and electrical stimulation; safety issues; Oriental bodywork therapy (e.g., Tui Na, Shiatsu, Amma, acupressure, etc.);  contraindication for certain conditions; and

 

vi)        Ethics and Practice Management.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, confidentiality; informed consent; HIPAA guidelines; understanding the scope of practice; recordkeeping: legal requirements, release of data; ethical and legal aspects of referring patients to another practitioner; professional conduct and appropriate interpersonal behavior; laws and regulations governing the practice of acupuncture; recognition and clarification of patient expectations; general liability insurance; legal requirements; professional liability insurance: risk management and quality assurance; building and managing a practice, including ethical and legal aspects of third party reimbursement; professional development.

 

B)        No more than 90 hours may count towards history and ethics and practice management.

 

2)         450 hours (or its equivalent) in didactic Oriental herbal studies.

 

A)        Topics shall include, but not be limited to:

 

i)          Introduction to Oriental herbal medicine, development of herbal medical systems throughout the Orient, history of the development of Oriental herbal medicine in the USA, and legal and ethical considerations of herbal medicine;

 

ii)         Basic Herbal Medicine Theory.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, plant-part terminology and significance to usage; herbal properties (e.g., concepts of herbal categories, taste, temperature, entering meridians); methods of preparation (i.e., dried, honey baked); methods of delivery (e.g., decoction, topical, timing); laws of combining, including common contraindications, prohibitions, precautions; methods of treatment (i.e., induce sweat, clearing, harmonize);

 

iii)        Oriental Diagnostic and Treatment Paradigms.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, herbal medicine within the context of Shan Han/6 stages; Wen Bing/4 levels; Zang Fu; Chinese Internal and External Medicine;

 

iv)        Herbal Strategies.  Topics shall include, but are not limited to, methods and systems for planning, carrying out and evaluating a treatment; differentiation and modifications of herbal formula for various patterns of disharmony according to Chinese medical principles; Chinese herbal medicine protocols applied to patients with a biomedical diagnosis;

 

v)         Materia Medica.  Includes instruction in a minimum of 300 different herbs with topics including, but not limited to, functions and meaning; visual identification, including differing methods of cutting; temperature, taste and entering meridians; taxonomy and nomenclature; introduction to Chinese names of herbs; functions and actions with a focus on classical and new developments; specific contraindications for each herb; applications of herbal dosages; current developments in individual herb research; endangered species and substitutions for them;

 

vi)        Herbal Formulas.  Includes instruction in a minimum of 150 formulas with topics including, but not limited to, traditional formula categories, functions and meanings; meanings of the traditional Chinese formula names; functions and actions with a focus on classical and new developments; specific contraindications for each formula; current development in formula research; composition and proportion of individual herbs in each formula; major modifications of formulations; patient education regarding administration, potential side effects, preparation and storage of formulas; prepared herbal formulations focusing on modifications and format of delivery;

 

vii)       Clinical Internship and Herbal Dispensary.  Topics include, but are not limited to, clinical internship in which students interview, diagnose, and write appropriate herbal formulae moving from complete supervision to independent formula development; standards of cleanliness in herbal dispensary; storage of herbs (both raw and prepared formulas), covering issues of spoilage and bugs; practice in the filling of herbal formulas in an herbal dispensary setting; Western science for herbal medicine; botany, non-botanical and horticulture (e.g., changes in the characteristics of herbs due to environmental factors) as they pertain to herbal medicine; general principles of pharmacognosy; biochemical components of herbs and natural substances; considerations of pharmaceutical interactions with reference to current texts.

 

3)         870 hours (or its equivalent) in an integrated acupuncture and herbal clinical training.

 

A)        The program must assure that each student participates in a minimum of 700 hours in the supervised care of patients using acupuncture.  This portion of the clinical training, conducted under the supervision of program-approved supervisors, must consist of at least 350 student-performed treatments in which students conduct patient interviews, perform diagnosis and treatment planning, perform appropriate acupuncture treatments, and follow up on patients' responses to treatment.

 

B)        The supervised clinical practice must be an internship that provides the student training in all phases of patient care and must be conducted in a teaching clinic operated by the institution or in a clinical facility with a formal affiliation with the institution under which the institution exercises academic oversight substantially equivalent to the academic oversight exercised for teaching clinics operated by the institution when:

 

i)          Clinical instructors' qualifications meet school requirements for clinical instruction;

 

ii)         Regular, systematic evaluation of the clinical experience takes place; and

 

iii)        Clinical training supervision procedures are substantially equivalent to those within the teaching clinic operated by the institution.  Student interns must receive training from a variety of clinical faculty in order to ensure that interns are exposed to different practice styles and instructional methods.

 

C)        The program must assure that each student acquires a minimum of 150 hours in observation.

 

4)         510 hours (or its equivalent) in biomedical clinical sciences.

 

A)        Biomedical Clinical Sciences.  Topics shall include, but not be limited to, basic science courses; biomedical and clinical concepts and terms; human anatomy and physiology; pathology and the biomedical disease model; pharmacology; the nature of the biomedical clinical process, including history taking, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up; the clinical relevance of laboratory and diagnostic tests and procedures, as well as biomedical physical examination findings; the basis and need for referral and/or consultation; the range of biomedical referral resources and the modalities they employ; and

 

B)        Clean Needle Technique.  Topics shall include infectious diseases, sterilization procedures, needle handling and disposal, and other issues relevant to bloodborne and surface pathogens.

 

d)         An individual who is deficient in course work may complete the required courses at a regionally accredited college or university or a school of acupuncture accredited by ACAOM.  The individual will be required to submit a transcript from the program indicating successful completion of the course and a course description.

 

(Source:  Amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 16524, effective September 7, 2018)