2026 ABMA Exam
2026-04-26 12:30 - 17:00 (America/Denver) | Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, 7800 E Tufts Avenue, Denver, CO, 80237, United States
* Board eligibility required!
Examination Requirement

Applicants who have submitted an Application for Certification documenting that the applicant has met the education requirement established by the ABMA will receive notice of eligibility to sit for the written Board examination.
The written examination will be conducted in the Spring each year at the Annual Symposium and at such additional times during the year as may be determined by the ABMA.
Applicants who have passed the Proficiency Examination offered by the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture prior to May 15, 2000, have met the examination process requirement of the ABMA.
All applicants desiring to sit for the examination must meet the educational requirements as set forth above. Applications must be received not less than 30 days prior to the date of any examination offering to allow sufficient time for the Board to review and accept the application if the applicant intends to sit for that examination. All Applicants for Certification who have been accepted by the Board will receive notice of each examination offering.
Applicants, whose acupuncture training was in a program not pre-approved by the ABMA, may be required to submit to an oral interview to determine the adequacy of training. Organizing, scheduling and completing the interview and evaluation following the interview may require more than 75 days and thus such applicants should plan accordingly in scheduling which examination to sit for.
Applicants desiring to withdraw from an examination must submit a written request to withdraw not later than 30 days before the scheduled examination. A refund of $250, ($500 examination fee less a $250 administrative fee), will be provided for those who have provided the appropriate notice. No refund will be provided for withdrawals less than 30 days prior to the scheduled examination or for candidates who fail to appear for the examination.
Applicants shall have two years from the time of notification of eligibility to take the examination. Failure to take the examination within the two-year period will result in loss of exam eligibility and forfeiture of all fees paid. Applicants will need to submit an up dated application, with all appropriate fees in effect at that time, to reapply for eligibility to take the examination.
Individuals who fail an examination may apply for admissibility for re-examination during any subsequent examination period. Fees for re-examination are $500.

Member Town Hall
2026-05-28 20:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Designed to help you make the most of your membership.
Join AAMA Past President, Donna Pittman, MD, for a 30 minute, interactive session designed to connect, answer questions, exchange information and engage in discussions about medical acupuncture.
During this session, you’ll:

Learn about the benefits and resources available to you as a member
Receive some practice management tips
Meet key association staff and AAMA leaders
Discover how to get involved and make the most of your membership

Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Time: 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT
Whether you have recently completed your acupuncture training or have been practicing for a few years, this Town Hall is a great opportunity to connect and explore all that your membership has to offer.

The Dance of Diagnosis and Treatment in Acupuncture: Utilizing Tools from Manual Medicine
2026-10-02 - 2026-10-04 | Dominican University, Edgehill Mansion - First Floor - Garden Room, 50 Acacia Ave., San Rafael, California, 94901, United States
Instructors: Daniel Bensky, DO, and Jay Sandweiss, DO
The course has been approved for 20 hours of CEU for acupuncturists and 17.5 hours of CME for physicians.
Course Description:
As the esteemed clinician (and mentor of Dr. Sandweiss) George Goodheart, D.C. has said, “Diagnose what is needed; provide what is needed, and observe the results.” In this workshop Dr. Sandweiss and Bensky will share approaches that do just that for acupuncture focused practices. Including precise muscle testing as developed with Applied Kinesiology, the use of Counterstrain and Myofascial release applied to acupuncture points, and tools from Engaging Vitality such as Qi Signal Assessment and Channel Listening. These techniques can be used in a wide variety of circumstances and are particularly helpful for subacute or chronic issues, particularly of the musculoskeletal structure.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES:

Learn how to think about acupuncture treatment as a “call and response” process with a recurrent back and forth between diagnosis, treatment, and result.
Learn specific mental and physical techniques derived from manual medicine to aid with this process, including muscle testing, qi signal assessment, and listening to the channels.
Have a good sense of how these specific techniques will be of use in your own practice.

**All the above Learning Objectives are intended to enhance the diagnostic and treatment skills of health professionals whose licenses allow them to practice acupuncture.

39th ICMART World Medical Acupuncture Congress
2026-11-06 - 2026-11-08 | İstanbul Polat Renaissance Hotel, Yeşilyurt, Sahil Yolu Cd. No:2, 34149 Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
Bringing together physicians, researchers, and practitioners, the congress will provide a unique platform to explore the latest developments in medical acupuncture, traditional medicine, and integrative therapeutic approaches.
Through plenary lectures, symposia, workshops, and poster sessions, participants will have the opportunity to exchange knowledge, present their research, and discuss future directions in the field. Istanbul, a city where East meets West, offers an inspiring setting for this international gathering.
With its rich history, vibrant culture, and dynamic scientific community, the city provides the perfect atmosphere for both academic exchange and professional networking. The congress will also include special sessions for young researchers, scientific awards, and interactive workshops, encouraging the next generation of experts in acupuncture and related techniques.
MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!

Fast and Effective Techniques for Acupuncturists:
2026-12-07 - 2027-12-08 | The Julius Prague, Senovážné nám. 3, 110 00 Nové Město, Prague, Czech Republic
Fast and Effective Techniques for Acupuncturists: Integrating Manual Muscle Testing, Applied Kinesiology, and Osteopathic Manipulation to Manage Musculoskeletal Problems and Optimize Motor Function
Course Instructor: Jay Sandweiss, DO, FAAMA
This course offers attendees an opportunity to learn Applied Kinesiology and how to integrate manual muscle testing with osteopathic techniques into an acupuncture treatment. Dr. Jay Sandweiss is an osteopathic physician with over 47 years of experience integrating acupuncture and osteopathic treatment strategies. Applied Kinesiology is a method of precise muscle testing to determine the pattern of neuromuscular inhibition present in persistent musculoskeletal and chronic pain conditions. Students will learn to identify inhibited muscles and to correlate this muscle dysfunction with a particular acupuncture meridian and treatment approach.
Course Objectives:

Identify meridian imbalances using MU points combined with manual muscle testing.
Identify meridian imbalances using radial artery pulse points with manual muscle testing.
Evaluate for the presence of segmental level somatic dysfunctions that are present at the precise location of back SHU points and learn fast effective treatments for resolving those dysfunctions.
Distinguish specific major muscle groups that are correlated with specific acupuncture meridians (e.g. PSOAS muscle relationship to the kidney meridian).
Apply a muscle dance sequence that follows the 24-hour clock RONG cycle demonstrating the kinesiology movements of each of those muscles and the corresponding manual muscle test for that muscle group.
Apply multiple osteopathic manipulation techniques for releasing specific acupuncture points and their associated channels

LEARN MORE
