[Apprenticeship system of American NCCAOM Certification of acupuncture and oriental medicine].

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is the only national institution for the accreditation of clinical practice of acupuncture and Oriental (Chinese) Medicine in the United States. Its qualification certificate or examination certificate is a mandatory document for 47 states and Washington, D.C. to issue the practice license. According to the latest information of the NCCAOM official website, this paper introduced the preceptor qualifications of the apprenticeship, studying hours, quality control, and the evaluation at the end of apprenticeship. The paper also discussed the enlightening and referential effects of the American system to apprenticeship policy in China.

[U. S. acupuncturists qualification tests of clean needle technique (CNT) examination].

Clean needle technique (CNT) examination is required for all applicants seeking National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicines' (NCCAOM) certification. CNT examination is one of compulsory subjects of certification of professional competence to practice acupuncture safely and effectively for the sake of the health and safety of the public, which is developed by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). The uniform standard of practice for acupuncture, the content of CNT course, application procedure and the requirements of CNT examination are introduced in this paper.

[Current situation of acupuncture and bloodletting therapy in Saudi Arabia].

The article introduces the current situation of acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical practice and education in Saudi Arabia, as well as the acupuncture-related regulations by Saudi Arabia Health Ministry. In addition, the Arabian traditional therapy, copping-bloodletting (Hijamah), is briefly mentioned and compared with Chinese acupuncture bloodletting.

[Design and application of a cone-shaped warming-acupuncture-moxibustion apparatus].

To design a warming acupuncture-moxibustion apparatus suitable to warming acupuncture therapy and easily attaching to the filiform needle handle. The apparatus consists of a container for moxa, a tray and regulative clips. The container for moxa is for store of moxa-wool without bottom and it can prevent moxa fire and ash from dropping and burning the skin of the patient or the clothes; the tray with holes on it can serve as a support of the moxa in the container, and can control the moxa burning and heat radiation; the clips can adjust the distance between the cone and the skin. With the advantages of handy material, easy installation, lower cost, and convenient operation, the apparatus is worthy of clinical application and popularization.