The end of 2021 is approaching, and that means your Florida acupuncture license renewal date is on the horizon. As a CEU provider, we aim to give you the information and courses you need to renew your license every two years. We also know that as an acupuncture provider, life is busy, and we want to make sure whether you’re a new acupuncturist or seasoned veteran, that you have all information, courses, and requirements needed to renew.
Brief History of Acupuncture in Florida
Although acupuncture regulation began in the United States in the 1970s due to an article written by the New York Times reporter James Reston, it was not legalized in Florida until 1981. This same year, the apprentice process was established requiring acupuncturists to work under MDs and DOs. By the following year, the first acupuncture exam was offered, and over 30 acupuncturists were licensed in the state of Florida.
Among the first licensed acupuncturists were:
~ Linda Chin
~ William Huang
~ Robert and Vivid Chung
~ Su Liang Ku
~ Joseph Hou (he also became the first president of the Florida State Acupuncture Association – the precursor to the Florida State Oriental Medical Association)
By 1987, board members had created an updated exam, and were working to expand the acupuncture scope of practice. The numbers of licensed acupuncturists in the state of Florida only grew from there, and by 1993, just 11 years after the first licensees in the state, the profession went from 30 licensees to 1,000.
According to the Florida Board website,
“The Florida Board of Acupuncture was established to ensure that every acupuncturist practicing in this state meets minimum requirements for safe practice.”
Florida Acupuncture CEU Requirements
The Basics
There are specific acupuncture CEU requirements that are mandated for Florida acupuncturists to renew their license. The Florida Board of Acupuncture requires that acupuncturists complete 30 CEUs every 2 years and they are required to complete continuing education in specific subject categories. The current renewal cycle ends on February 28, 2022.
The Breakdown of the 30 Florida Acupuncture CEU Requirements are as follows:
~ 21 CEUs – General Hours (required subject category)
~ 2 CEUs – Laws and Rules (required subject category)
~ 5 CEUs – Biomedical Sciences (required subject category)
~ 2 CEUs – Medical Error (required subject category)
~ 1 CEU – Human Trafficking (*new requirement for medical providers in the state of Florida, and should have already been completed by January 1, 2021.)
The only variation of the above requirements is if you are a new acupuncturist renewing for the first time, in which case, you are only required to complete the 2 CEUs in the Medical Errors category, and 3 CEUs in the HIV/AIDS category.
First Biennium Renewal Requirements, according to the Florida Acupuncture Board:
~ 2 CEUs – Medical Error (required subject category)
~ 3 CEUs – HIV/AIDS
For all of the above acupuncture CEU requirements, both first renewal and thereafter, are not cumulative or retroactive. Any and all Florida CEUs must be earned within the current renewal period for which they are claimed.
General Requirements for Obtaining an Initial Florida Acupuncture License:
There are also the requirements for first-time licensure as an acupuncturist. An initial acupuncture license requires completion of 60 college credits from an accredited postsecondary establishment as a prerequisite to enrolling in a 4-year course of study in acupuncture and eastern medicine.
~ Must be at least 21 years old.
~ Complete and submit an application and the fee for licensure.
~ Must complete a training program.
~ Must pass an exam offered by the NCCAOM or a state exam that is equivalent and approved by the board. The board currently approves the NCCAOM exam as the Florida exam for licensure.
~ Proof of professional liability insurance coverage.
~ Must be proficient in the English language (*this only applies to those who have passed the national written exam in a different language other than English).
Visit the Florida Acupuncture Board website here for additional details on acupuncture license renewal and up-to-date news and information about your profession.
Florida Licensee Human Trafficking Requirement
In 2019, the Florida Department of Children and Families collected more than 2,100 reports of human trafficking, and the state of Florida ranks in the top 3 states for the number of calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This is why Florida passed a bill, Human Trafficking, Chapter 2019-152, Laws of Florida, establishing profession requirements including required signs, CEUs, and more requirements depending on the profession, in an effort identify and stop human trafficking.
Acupuncture was among the professions required to complete this 1 hour of continuing education. For acupuncturists, this 1 hour of CE was permitted to be included in the total general hours required, and is not required for future renewals.
All Florida acupuncture licensees should have completed this requirement as of January 1, 2021. If you have any questions regarding the Human Trafficking CEU requirement, or have not yet completed it, please contact the Florida Acupuncture Board to find out more on how to proceed.
Florida Acupuncture Continuing Education Benefits
Acupuncture continuing education is a requirement in order to continue practicing as a licensed acupuncturist in the state of Florida, but continuing education is, and can be, so much more than that. There are ways to make the attainment of acupuncture CEUs more enjoyable. The first step: knowing how to strategically pick your CEU courses.
“Think of continuing education courses as an opportunity to expand your knowledge, improve your clinical expertise, and stay abreast of the latest and greatest in the acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine field,”
Tips on choosing Acupuncture CEU Courses:
~ Have a goal & know what you’re looking for – Create a learning goal for yourself. For example, say you treated more patients this year seeking help with menopause. Your goal may read something along the lines of, “My continuing education goal this year is to learn more about acupuncture & TCM for menopause, so I can deliver even better treatments to existing, and any new patients I see, with menopause,” Then, find a course that fulfills your goal! To make the most of your acupuncture CEU requirements, view your acupuncture continuing education as more than something you HAVE to do. Think of continuing education courses as an opportunity to expand your knowledge, improve your clinical expertise, and stay abreast of the latest and greatest in the acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine field.
~ Challenge yourself – Choose acupuncture courses that will challenge you! When you are able to stretch yourself a little more in your educational pursuits, that’s when the growth really happens.
~ Keep an open mind & diversify your continuing education – take an acupuncture continuing education course in something you may not know about or have limited knowledge in. There is infinite value as acupuncture providers to constantly learn about new areas in our profession.
Additionally, and most importantly, Florida acupuncture continuing education allows you to ultimately provide better care to your patients. By staying up to date, and consistently expanding your knowledge in acupuncture treatment, you are better equipped to safely and effectively treat patients, and improve treatment outcomes.
Florida Acupuncture CEU Courses
If you’re licensed with both the Florida Acupuncture Board and the NCCAOM, finding courses that are cross-approved with both is always helpful in renewing in an affordable manner. At ACE, we offer a variety of courses in each required category for your Florida acupuncture license renewal. On our Florida page, we label on each individual course those that are mutually approved by Florida and the NCCAOM, as well as their categories. Additionally, ACE automatically reports your completed Florida CEU courses to CE Broker on the same or next business days.
Florida CEU Courses ACE Offers by Category:
- General Hours:
- Biomedical Hours:
- Medical Errors:
- Laws & Rules: