It has dawned with blue sky, white puffy clouds and sunshine in Jacksonville, Fla. You might be asking yourself, "What is happening in Jacksonville?" It is the new home of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
To celebrate not only the new headquarters, but also the NCCAOM's 25th anniversary, it held its first-ever open house on Monday, June 25, with demonstrations of acupuncture, bodywork therapy and herbology. The organization also hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony in recognition of its silver anniversary. Mina Larson, NCCAOM director of communications said, "We want to let the community be aware of what we've done."
The NCCAOM has relocated its national headquarters to the booming and business-friendly downtown area of Jacksonville. This was a business decision based on economics, a healthy environment, friendly people, a young and strong health care community, and numerous opportunities for fitness experiences. Florida is also the third largest state for diplomates.
What does NCCAOM do? It gives tests in five areas for national certification. When you pass one or more of the computerized written exams, you are issued a certificate that can be framed and exhibited on the wall of your office. The NCCAOM is accredited with "establishing, assessing, and promoting recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the protection and benefit of the public."
When you select a location for your practice of Oriental medicine, consider all of the above, as well as the environment you want to create. Have you considered feng shui for your office environment? This process creates an environment that is conducive to providing service, while nourishing your own soul.
Kory Ward-Cook, PhD, the CEO for NCCAOM, worked with a feng shui master to achieve the optimum working environment and decoration for the staff. As you enter through the set of glass doors to the building of the new headquarters, peace and order are present. This is one of the benefits of feng shui.
Ward-Cook enthused about the move: "The Jacksonville area will provide the organization with a stable and healthy environment to continue its growth, so that we can offer the best in customer service to our diplomates and candidates. We believe that it is in the best interests of the NCCAOM and our stakeholders to relocate to an area that is more cost-effective and offers many of the same advantages as our current location. We will continue to have a national presence representing diplomates worldwide."
During my brief visit at NCCAOM, I learned of the many other aspects of advocacy that this group is doing for the profession. It is taking a leadership role in supporting local and national media exposure and placement. The NCCAOM has contracted with a media firm to help get the message out about acupuncture and Oriental medicine.
Both Betsy Smith, associate deputy director, and Mina Larson conduct workshops around the United States called "Improve Yourself Using NCCAOM as a Resource for Marketing and Lobbying." These workshops have proved to be invaluable for the practitioners who have learned and used their material, ideas and resources. And Laura Culver Edgar, EdD, has been traveling around conducting workshops on item-writing and test construction. This has been a very informative subject for school faculty members.
There have been numerous articles about NCCAOM and various diplomats around the country in newspapers and magazines, including Parade, Women's Health & Fitness, Washington Business Journal and The Washington Post. Many include photos as well as educational information and news. You also can keep up with the latest NCCAOM news via the organization's community spotlight page.
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