You can practice acupuncture under your ND license in Arizona with SCNM’s acupuncture training. You are required to complete a master’s level program and sit for the acupuncture licensing board exam to become a licensed acupuncturist (LAc) in most states that license acupuncture.
We’ve partnered with Phoenix’s oldest and most recognized college of Oriental medicine, Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture (PIHMA), to offer dually-enrolled students the opportunity to earn a naturopathic medical degree and a master’s degree in acupuncture or Oriental medicine. PIHMA’s acupuncture program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).
How You Earn Your Degrees Is up to You
The program can be customized to fit your needs and goals. Most students find that the program adds 12 to 18 months to their time at SCNM. We recommend you spend at least the first two quarters doing SCNM coursework to assess your course load, time management and finances before you consider joining the dual-degree program. Some students wait until they have completed the basic sciences at SCNM as that knowledge helps with the classes at PIHMA. However, students have also started as soon as they arrived at SCNM.
You will need to complete the equivalent Oriental medicine courses at PIHMA before graduating from SCNM if you choose to participate in this program.
Approximately 10 percent of SCNM students enroll in the dual-degree program. Both programs allow you to sit for the acupuncture licensing board exam.
SCNM accepts the following PIHMA credits (grade of C or better) toward completion of the ND program’s oriental medicine credits:
PIHMA accepts the following credits (grade of C or higher) toward completion of the M. Acup. program at PIHMA: