AAAOM Staff

This column will help keep you updated and informed about the newest developments at the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The AAAOM "was formed in 1981 to be the unifying force for American acupuncturists committed to high ethical and educational standards, and a well-regulated profession to ensure the safety of the public.

According to the AAAOM, "there was a split in our profession in 1993, when two organizations formed: The American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM) and the AOM Alliance. On February 1, 2007, the two organizations again reunited to form a new organization, The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM). By taking the name of the organization that split in 1993, the new organization has signaled that events of the past that led to the division have been resolved, and that a new era in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine leadership has arrived."

For more information about the AAAOM, please visit www.aaaomonline.org.

Previous Articles

Partnerships Leverage Power for Our Profession
December 2013 (Vol. 14, Issue 12)
AAAOM Postpones Annual Membership Conference, Leadership Meeting To Be Held
March 2012 (Vol. 13, Issue 03)
AAAOM Calls For New Board Members For 2012 Election
December 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 12)
Cost-Effective Essential Health Benefits: Expanding Consumer Choice and Access to Care with Acupuncture
September 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 09)
Facing AOM Challenges with Your Support
March 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 03)
Changing of the Guard
August 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 08)
Taking the Time To Give Back
June 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 06)
Professional Organization Membership and You
April 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 04)
AAAOM Answers Acupuncture Critics
March 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 03)
AOMA Becomes First Stand-Alone AOM School to Achieve Regional Accreditation
AAAOM a Hit at National Foundation for Women Legislators' Convention
January 2010 (Vol. 11, Issue 01)
Change AOM Can Believe In
October 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 10)
California Journal of Oriental Medicine Call for Submissions
AOM in U.S. Health Care Reform
June 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 06)
2008 Conference, Electronic Voting, Practitioner Databank and More!
August 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 08)
What's New Under the Sun
June 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 06)
Starting Off the New Year With New Goals
February 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 02)
Trending
News / Profession
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution: China’s New National Standard
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution

On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.

Ann Y Wang, CMD (China), LAc
News / Profession
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
Acupuncture & Acupressure
It’s Time to Stop Prescribing Points
It's Time to Stop Prescribing Points

A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of our profession. We routinely say we “prescribe” points. It sounds efficient. It echoes the authority of biomedical culture and fits neatly into the insurance field. But vocabulary is never neutral; repeated long enough, it dictates behavior.

Bruce W. Park, DACM