Kory Ward-Cook, PhD

Dr. Kory Ward-Cook has over 35 years of experience as a medical laboratory professional, educator, and executive in association management. She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and currently serves as the CEO Emeritus of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). she served as NCCAOM CEO from 2004-2019.

Previous Articles

Enhance Your Patients' Healing Through the Practice of Qigong
August 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 08)
Understanding Professional Credentials: Certifications vs. Certificates of Qualification
February 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 02)
Official NCCAOM Practice Tests
July 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 07)
NCCAOM Call to Action: Shape the Future of Certification
July 2017 (Vol. 18, Issue 07)
Gaining an Independent Occupational Code with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
March 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 03)
NCCAOM Helping Promote Your Practice
May 2009 (Vol. 10, Issue 05)
NCCAOM Seeks Federal Recognition of the Profession
August 2008 (Vol. 09, Issue 08)
Why Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Should Be Recognized as a Stand-Alone Profession by the U.S. Department of Labor
AOM Day: Organizations Look to the Past and Forge Toward the Future
November 2006 (Vol. 07, Issue 11)
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