Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements
Acupuncture Requirements for Physicians:
To practice acupuncture in Pennsylvania, a physician must hold a current and active Pennsylvania license to practice medicine and surgery. No separate acupuncture license or registration is required.
Experience:
An applicant must complete 200 hours of training in acupuncture medical programs, including examinations required by those programs. An acupuncture medical program is defined as an academic or clinical program of study in acupuncture which has been given category I continuing medical education credit by an institution accredited or recognized by the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education to conduct category I continuing medical education courses.
Continuing Education:
Initial licensure:
Applicants must complete 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting for initial licensure.
Biennial renewal:
A licensed physician who is also an acupuncturist must complete at least nine (9) credit hours of mandatory continuing education during each biennial licensure period as part of the licensed physician’s 100 hours of continuing education and 2 hours of approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting for biennial renewal (when renewing license)
Initial Licensing Fee:
$30.00
Acupuncturist application fee
Licensure Renewal Fee:
$40.00
Biennial renewal of license.
Licensure By Endorsement under Section 27 of the Medical Practice Act:
The Board will grant a license without restriction to an applicant who does not meet the standard license requirements if the applicant has achieved cumulative qualifications that are endorsed by the Board as being equivalent to the standard requirements for the license.
Licensure by Endorsement under Act 41
- Act 41 promotes licensure portability for out-of-state professionals seeking to work in Pennsylvania. Act 41 authorizes all licensing boards and commissions within the Commonwealth to endorse licenses from other states, territories or jurisdictions, as long as the applicant meets certain criteria. Specifically, the applicant must: Hold a current, active license in good standing in another jurisdiction whose licensing requirements are substantially equivalent to or exceed Pennsylvania’s.
- Have no disciplinary action or criminal convictions.
- Have been actively engaged in the profession for at least two of the last five years.
- Demonstrate competence, as determined by the Board; this may include education, continuing education, or other standards set by the Board.
- Meet any other administrative requirements such as fees.