Supervision of Acupuncturist Trainees

PURPOSE: This rule outlines the requirements for supervision of acupuncturist trainees. (1) An acupuncturist trainee (trainee) shall practice acupuncture on members of the public while under the direct supervision of a licensed acupuncturist. For the purpose of this rule direct supervision is the control, direction, instruction, and regulation of a student at all times. (2) In order to qualify as a trainee, the individual shall be enrolled in a course of study authorized by the advisory committee and not receive compensation for any acupuncture provided by the trainee. (3) Acupuncture programs certified by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) are considered acceptable programs for the training of acupuncture. (4) Programs that are not certified by ACAOM shall consist of a curriculum that is at least three (3) academic years in length with a minimum of one hundred five (105) semester credits or one thousand nine hundred five (1,905) hours of study. The curriculum shall be composed of at least: (A) Forty-seven (47) semester credits (seven hundred five (705) clock hours) in Oriental medical theory, diagnosis and treatment techniques in acupuncture and related studies; (B) Twenty-two (22) semester credits (six hundred sixty (660) clock hours) in clinical training; and (C) Thirty (30) semester credits (four hundred fifty (450) clock hours) in biomedical clinical sciences; and (D) Six (6) semester credits, (ninety (90) clock hours) in counseling, communication, ethics, and practice management. (5) Any duties assigned to an acupuncturist trainee must be supervised by a licensed acupuncturist and not exceed the level of training, knowledge, skill, and competence of the individual being supervised. The licensed acupuncturist is responsible for the acts or actions performed by any acupuncturist trainee functioning in the acupuncture setting. AUTHORITY: section 324.481, RSMo 2016, and section 324.487, RSMo Supp. 2018.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 15-4.020. Original rule filed July 24, 2001, effective Feb. 28, 2002. Amended: Filed March 15, 2004, effective Sept. 30, 2004. Moved to 20 CSR 2015-4.020, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed May 30, 2018, effective Dec. 30, 2018. *Original authority: 324.481, RSMo 1998, amended 1999, 2009 and 324.487, RSMo 1998, amended 1999, 2009, 2018.