Certificate of Medical Acupuncture

This award was previously known as the CoBC

The CMA should be completed online and can be done at your own pace.  
Guidelines can be downloaded by 
clicking here.

Qualifications

Candidates must be:

  • Medically qualified or a registered health professional, registered in the UK, or the country in which they practice, with the appropriate statutory body. 
  • A current member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS).

Training

Candidates must present evidence of attendance on the BMAS Foundation Course. They must have satisfactorily completed the safety quiz and points checklists during the Foundation Course, and these forms must have been signed to this effect by a member of the teaching staff.

Experience

Candidates must present a logbook of 30 cases online, which they have treated, along with 2 cases written in detail. These 2 long cases may be included in the 30 logbook cases. Whilst the Certificate will be awarded only to full members of the BMAS, cases treated prior to full membership may be used to complete the logbook.

Points Checklist

Candidates must have satisfactorily completed the points checklist during the Foundation Course, and these forms must have been signed to this effect by a member of the teaching staff.

CMA candidates who have not attended a BMAS Foundation Course, and who do not therefore have a signed checklist, may be required to demonstrate their needling technique at their clinical assessment - see below.

Safety Assessment

Candidates must complete a short online questionnaire paper on the safety aspects of acupuncture. Notes and textbooks may be referred to.

Clinical Assessment

Candidates who have fulfilled the above conditions satisfactorily will attend for a clinical assessment. This 20-minute assessment will be held with two assessors, or the medical director, and will be based on your logbook and long cases.

Candidates must bring their logbook to the clinical assessment and sufficient case notes to allow full discussion. They should be prepared to demonstrate needling technique if requested to do so.

Procedure for Application

The CMA should be completed online and can be done at your own pace. Guidelines can be downloaded by clicking here.

The following sections should be completed via the online system:

  • a completed safety assessment
  • a copy of completed logbook of 30 cases
  • a copy of 2 detailed case reports

Candidates should also send the following to the Northwich Office, BMAS House, 2/3 Winnington Court, Northwich CW8 1AQ:

  • a copy of the points checklists
  • a signed declaration of originality
  • the £45 fee

Successful candidates will receive a Certificate of Medical Acupuncture suitable for framing.

Counselling and Appeals

Unsuccessful candidates will be offered advice intended to improve the chances of success after subsequent reapplications. Reapplication will be permitted three months after the date of assessment.

There is an appeal procedure. Unsuccessful candidates who wish to appeal should write to the Chairman of the Competence, Accreditation and Examining Board (CAEB), c/o the BMAS office within four weeks, giving full details of the nature of their appeal.