New Mexico Register / Volume XXXV, Issue 20
/ October 22, 2024
This is an amendment to 16.2.7 NMAC, Section 8, 11 and 12
effective 10/22/2024.
16.2.7.8 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: All educational programs shall be approved by the board. Using the requirements of 16.2.7.8 NMAC and 16.2.7.9 NMAC (Sections 8 and 9 of Part 7 of the rules), the board will evaluate whether or not an educational program shall be approved. If a visit is necessary to evaluate the educational program, the cost of the visit, including any administrative costs, shall be paid in advance by the educational program.
A. The foundation educational program requirement shall be the four academic year masters of oriental medicine program that meets the national certification commission for acupuncture and oriental medicine (NCCAOM) accreditation/equivalent education policy as defined here. Graduation/education must be obtained from a formal education program that has met the standards of the accreditation commission for acupuncture and herbal medicine (ACAHM) or an equivalent educational body. A program may be established as having satisfied this requirement by demonstration of one of the following:
(1) accreditation or candidacy for accreditation by ACAHM; or
(2) approval by a foreign government's ministry of education, ministry of health, or equivalent foreign government agency; each candidate must submit their documents for approval by a foreign credential equivalency service approved by the NCCAOM for that purpose; programs attempting to meet the eligibility requirement under this method must also meet the curricular requirements of ACAHM in effect at the time of application; or
(3) approval by a foreign private accreditation agency that has an accreditation process and standards substantially equivalent to that of ACAHM, and that is recognized for that purpose by the appropriate government entity in that foreign country; each candidate must submit their documents for approval by a foreign credential equivalency service approved by the NCCAOM for that purpose; programs attempting to meet the eligibility requirement under this method must also meet the curricular requirements of ACAHM in effect at the time of application.
(4) approval from the NCCAOM as
having satisfied the eligibility requirements to receive the NCCAOM
certification in oriental medicine, or in both acupuncture and Chinese herbology.
B. The educational program shall provide a program that shall be at least four academic years and shall include in-class education that comprises a minimum of 2,400 clock hours of classes including a minimum of 1,100 hours of didactic education in acupuncture and oriental medicine and a minimum of 900 hours of supervised clinical practice, instruction and observation in acupuncture and oriental medicine. The curriculum shall provide the knowledge and skills required to maintain appropriate standards of acupuncture and oriental medical care.
C. The educational program shall include a didactic curriculum that educates and graduates physicians who are competent to practice acupuncture and oriental medicine and who are able to diagnose, prescribe, and treat accurately and that specifically includes, in addition to the requirements of the act, oriental principles of life therapy, including the prescription of herbal medicine, diet and nutrition, manual therapy/physical medicine and counseling, not to exceed 900 hours of the required 2,400 hours specified in Subsection B of 16.2.7.8 NMAC and that includes a minimum of 450 hours of education in herbal medicine.
D. The educational program shall include a clinical curriculum that includes clinical instruction and direct patient contact. This clinical part of the educational program shall include at least 900 hours of supervised clinical practice, instruction and observation in the following areas:
(1) the observation of and assistance in the application of principles and techniques of oriental medicine including diagnosis, acupuncture, moxibustion, manual therapy/physical medicine, diet and nutrition, counseling and the prescription of herbal medicine; and
(2) a minimum of 400 hours of actual treatment in which the student is required to perform complete treatment as the primary student practitioner.
E. The educational program shall include a curriculum that educates and graduates physicians who are competent to demonstrate a clinically relevant, complementary and integrative knowledge of biomedicine and biomedical diagnosis sufficient to treat and refer patients when appropriate.
F. The educational program may honor credit from other educational programs.
G. The names and educational qualifications of all teaching supervisors, resident teachers, and visiting teachers of acupuncture and oriental medicine shall be submitted to the board and shall meet the following:
(1) all teachers of acupuncture and oriental medicine in New Mexico shall have a license or temporary license to practice acupuncture and oriental medicine in New Mexico issued by the board; any educational program in violation of this provision shall be subject to suspension or revocation of the educational program approval or subject to disciplinary proceedings, including fines as defined in 16.2.12 NMAC;
(2) all teachers of acupuncture and oriental medicine at educational programs outside New Mexico shall be licensed, certified, registered or legally recognized to practice acupuncture and oriental medicine in the state or country in which he or she practices and teaches; any educational program in violation of this provision shall be subject to suspension or revocation of the educational program approval or subject to disciplinary proceedings, including fines as defined in 16.2.12 NMAC;
(3) exceptions may be made at the board's discretion and for good cause.
H. Educational programs may employ or
contract with [tutors] preceptors to teach components of the
educational program. Educational
programs may honor credit from [tutors] preceptors. A [tutor]
preceptor is defined [in the act] as “a doctor of oriental
medicine with at least ten years of clinical experience [who is a teacher of
acupuncture and oriental medicine].”
I. The educational program may be subject to inspection by the board.
[16.2.7.8 NMAC - Rp, 16.2.7.8 NMAC, 4/25/2023; A, 10/22/2024]
16.2.7.11 APPLICATION FOR SINGLE INSTANCE
APPROVAL OF AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: [An]
A graduate of an educational program that does not have annual approval
status from the board and does not satisfy at least one of the requirements
outlined in
Paragraph (1) of Subsection A of 16.2.7.8 NMAC through Paragraph (6)
of Subsection A of 16.2.7.8 NMAC, shall submit a complete application in
English to receive a single instance approval of the educational program
for use by [a single] the applicant and must include: [after
the educational program that graduated the applicant has submitted to the board]:
A. the application fee for a single
instance approval of an educational program, specified in 16.2.10 NMAC, paid [by
certified check or money order] in U.S. funds; and
B. [an application that is complete
and in English on a form prescribed by the board that contains] the
matriculation date for the educational program and the information necessary to
verify that the standards of professional education required by 16.2.7.8 and
16.2.7.9 NMAC are being met including an official copy of the curriculum. The application and the application fee shall
be received at the board’s office at least 90 days prior to the next scheduled
clinical skills examination. The board
shall send a written response to the applicant for approval of an educational
program informing the applicant of the application’s completeness or needed
documentation postmarked at least 85 days before the next scheduled clinical
skills examination date. All
documentation requested to complete the application shall be received at the
board’s office at least 70 days before the next scheduled clinical skills
examination date. The applicant shall be
notified of approval or denial of the application in writing by mail postmarked
at least 60 days prior to the next scheduled clinical skills examination
date. Note that the above deadlines
exist to synchronize with the deadlines for applicants regarding the clinical
skills exam as defined in 16.2.4.11 NMAC.
[16.2.7.11 NMAC - Rp, 16.2.7.11 NMAC, 4/25/2023; A, 10/22/2024]
16.2.7.12 ANNUAL RENEWAL, LATE RENEWAL AND EXPIRED
APPROVAL: To maintain annual
approval status, an educational program shall submit by May 1st [an] a
complete annual renewal application [that is complete and] in
English [on a form prescribed by the board] and the required fee for
renewal of approval of an educational program, specified in 16.2.10 NMAC, paid [by
certified check or money order] in U.S. funds. The approval period is defined as August 1st
to July 31st of the subsequent year. The
approval expires at 12:00 midnight on July 31st. Renewal applications received after September
30th of any year must be submitted with the late fee specified in 16.2.10 NMAC
(Part 10 of the rules) and paid [by certified check or money order] in
U.S. funds. If the annual renewal
application and fee are not received within 60 days after expiration, following
the approval period, the annual approval is expired, and the educational
program shall submit the initial application and initial application fee to
become approved.
[16.2.7.12 NMAC - Rp, 16.2.7.12 NMAC, 4/25/2023; A, 10/22/2024]