In addition to the association’s collaborations with institutions and colleges in Israel, the association works to establish international collaborations with institutions worldwide.
Global Collaborations
The Recognition Process with NCCAOM (USA)
In 2025, a historic mutual recognition agreement was signed between the Israeli Association of Chinese Medicine (IACM) and the American certification body for Chinese medicine practitioners – NCCAOM. The agreement allows Israeli practitioners to apply for certification in the United States through a regulated, faster, and more efficient pathway than the general route.
Below is a response to frequently asked questions:
What is the agreement between IACM and NCCAOM?
The agreement signed in June 2025 enables certified practitioners in Israel who meet predefined conditions to apply for certification in the United States under a mechanism called the US–Israel Crosswalk – a process that shortens and simplifies the path to professional recognition in the US.
*Important! This page is intended to provide a brief explanation and translation in Hebrew of the process shown on the NCCAOM website. It is advisable and recommended to work directly with the American site, and only for explanations or supplementary information to refer here.
Who is eligible to apply for certification via this pathway?
- Graduate of a Chinese medicine educational institution recognised by the Israeli Association of Chinese Medicine (IACM).
- Successful completion of the IACM certification exam (IACM National Exam).
- Completion of at least two years of proven professional experience as a Chinese medicine practitioner in Israel.
Process Steps
Steps 1 + 2 in the process
Log in to your personal account on the NCCAOM website (or create a new user if you do not have an account) and pay the fee as described in Section 2. Note that fees are non-refundable once paid.
Step 3 in the process
- The candidate must request the school to send a signed and English-language transcript to Olga at the email address: olga@tcmisrael.org.il.
- The candidate must have the school and/or the Israeli Association of Chinese Medicine sign the attached document at the following link and send it to Olga. (It is recommended to complete and send the form signed so that we can finalise the signatures if everything is in order.)
Step 4 in the Process
Register for and complete the online courses described in Sections A and B. Registration involves a fee. Certificates of completion for both courses must be sent to the email intleval@thenccaom.org.
Complete 4 credit hours in 4 different topics from the following areas:
- Electronic Medical Records
- US Specific Regulations
- Insurance Billing and Medical Coding
- Risk Management and Quality assurance
Most required courses for credit hours are worth more than one credit, but there are various topics and courses to choose from. It is advisable to check costs, course schedules, and availability:
Link to the list of courses covering all required topics
Send the certificates of completion to intleval@thenccaom.org.
We recommend submitting all certificates together to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.
Steps 5 + 6 in the Process
Candidates with two or more consecutive years of professional practice who meet the basic requirements and have completed at least 200 hours of clinical contact with patients must submit verification of clinical experience. This can be done independently by obtaining a signature from an experienced, recognised practitioner in the Israeli Association of Chinese Medicine, or by requesting assistance from the Association using the form provided in the process.
Candidates practising for less than two consecutive years must complete, within the two years preceding their application to the NCCAOM, 200 hours of supervised clinical practice in face-to-face sessions of Chinese acupuncture and herbal medicine under the supervision of a certified practitioner.
The certified practitioner must be:
- A member of IACM, or
- An active NCCAOM diplomat in Oriental Medicine, or
- A licensed acupuncturist in the United States; and also
- Practising the profession for four (4) years or more; and
- In good standing with the profession.
The candidate must be an acupuncturist who has held IACM membership for at least 2 years and is in good standing with the profession.
To provide verification of IACM membership, the candidate must download the IACM membership verification form.
The form must state your name, the name of the individual whose membership is being verified, and their role. A separate form must be submitted for each of the following:
- Candidate
- Clinical Supervisor
- Clinical Instructor
Step 7 in the Process
Once all previous steps are successfully completed and all fees paid, follow the instructions on the NCCAOM website within your personal account. An email will be sent inviting you to the final stages of the process – completing the Clean Needle Technique course and passing the American exam to receive NCCAOM admission approval and begin practising as an acupuncturist in the United States.
ETCMA is the umbrella organization of professional associations for Chinese medicine operating throughout Europe. This body represents 22 associations, including the Israeli association.
The main goal of the organization is to promote the recognition of Chinese medicine and regulate the level of practitioners and schools through regulation. The organization is in contact with the World Health Organization and many international organizations related to the professional fields and works to develop accreditation systems for TCM education programs across Europe. Additionally, the organization works to increase academic cooperation with various colleges and universities in Europe.
Our representative in ETCMA for several years has been Yair Maimon, who successfully promoted our acceptance into the organization and is currently the organization’s president. Membership in the organization grants us a status equivalent to that of leading organizations in Europe and also provides each association member with entitlement to various discounts at international seminars held there.
The ETCMA organization is actively in contact with various organizations dealing with complementary medicine in Europe, including:
- EFCAM – an organization that includes practitioners
- EUROCAM – an organization that includes both patients and doctors.
- EPHA Europe – an umbrella organization for various fields of complementary medicine.
These are large umbrella organizations that include hundreds of thousands of members. The significant weight given by various bodies to the regulation and recognition of Chinese medicine and other fields of complementary medicine is influenced, among other things, by the financial implications this will have. For example, full or partial coverage of treatments in Chinese medicine or other complementary medicine by patients’ medical insurance. Within these umbrella organizations, associations of practitioners and patients in fields such as homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic, and more collaborate to promote complementary medicine in general and Chinese medicine in particular.
The Organization’s Position on Dry Needling
Dear Members,
As you know, the Association (now the Israeli Association of Chinese Medicine) is a member of the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA). We are pleased to share with you the organisation’s position paper on “Dry Needling” (the full document is attached for your convenience).
Summary:
An increasing number of physiotherapists around the world are offering a relatively “new” treatment known as dry needling or intramuscular stimulation.
For years, there has been a collision between various health professions claiming ownership of ‘acupuncture treatment’. The public worldwide and in Israel (patients, policymakers, media, etc.) are not aware of the various differences between traditional acupuncture and dry needling in terms of the scope of studies/training, diagnostic methods, treatment strategies, and more.
What is dry needling? What is Chinese acupuncture? Is there a difference between the methods?
These questions and more are addressed in the attached position paper. For your convenience, a table summarizing the different training tracks is included. Show your patients and anyone who asks what the differences are…
*The position paper does not intend to detract from the quality of other health professions.
Avi Peled – Public Relations
WFAS – World Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies
Since September 2017, the Chinese Medicine Association in Israel has been a member of the World Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies.
All associations that are members of the European association (ETCMA) are also full members of the WFAS organization.
FAQ
Yes. The Israeli Association of Chinese Medicine (IACM) provides support for applicants. You can contact us for assistance, advice, and guidance during the preparation stages.
Not necessarily. Each US state has its own regulations. You must check the licensing requirements by state.
Yes. The exams are conducted exclusively in English, including complex questions. It is important to practise professional terminology in English.
No. Currently, exams are held only in the United States. Most of the course completions and exams in the process are conducted online.
Yes, provided you can prove proper documentation of clinical activity – letters, receipts, treatment records, official approvals
The Clean Needle Technique (CNT) course covers safe needle use. Links to the course will be provided during the process itself. Completion of this course is a mandatory condition for recognition.
Yes, provided they passed the certification exam and/or received the Association certificate, studied at a recognised institution, and can prove up-to-date experience.