Yo San University: Consumer Information
Non-Profit Status
Yo San University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution registered with the State of California and United States of America.
Accreditation & Approvals
Accreditation
Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its following programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM):
(1) Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization [currently named Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine]
(2) Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Accreditation status and notes may be viewed on the ACAHM Directory.
ACAHM is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the specialized accreditation agency for institutions/programs preparing acupuncture practitioners. ACAHM does not accredit any programs at the undergraduate/bachelor level. ACAHM is located at 500 Lake Street, Suite 204, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331; phone 952/212-2434; https://acahm.org
The Doctor of Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization program offered by Yo San University is approved to begin enrolling students but is not accredited or pre-accredited by ACAHM. This program is eligible for ACAHM accreditation, and Yo San is currently in the process of seeking ACAHM pre-accreditation/accreditation for the program. However, Yo San can provide no assurance that pre-accreditation or accreditation will be granted by ACAHM. Graduates of an unaccredited program are not considered to have graduated from an ACAHM-accredited or pre-accredited program and may not rely on ACAHM accreditation or pre-accreditation for professional licensure or other purposes.
Public Disclosure Statement Effective as of 25 February 2023
Approvals
California Acupuncture Board: Yo San University (YSU) grants the degree of Master of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (MATCM).YSU has been approved by the California Acupuncture Board to allow graduates to sit for the California Acupuncture Licensing Examination (CALE). Graduates also qualify for the examination offered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Acupuncturists are licensed by the Acupuncture Board, State of California Department of Consumer Affairs, 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-219, Sacramento, CA 95834; Phone: 916.515.5200; Fax: 916.928.2204. Please contact this agency for further licensing information. The California Acupuncture Board also approves YSU as a provider of continuing education certification renewal for licensed acupuncturists.
Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE): Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is approved to operate by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education. “Approval to operate” means compliance with state standards as set forth in Section 94897 (l) of the State of California Education Code. Any questions a student may have regarding this school that have not been satisfactorily answered by the institution may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at:
2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento CA 95833
www.bppe.ca.gov
tel: 888.370.7589
fax: 916.263.1897
To view the most recent annual report submitted to the BPPE:
2021 Institutional Data
2021 School Performance Fact Sheet
2021 Annual Report MATCM Program
2021 Annual Report DAOM Program
Acupuncture Licensure
Forty-five states and the District of Columbia license acupuncturists. The following information will help you navigate the requirements for practice.
In California, the California Acupuncture Board establishes education requirements, accredits schools, and oversees a licensing examination process. To practice in in California, one must graduate from a state-approved instruction program of at least 3,000 hours and pass the California Acupuncture Licensing Exam (CALE). Training for California licensed acupuncturists (L.Ac.s) includes basic Western sciences and Western medicine training as well as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and traditional Chinese medical theory. Graduates of a CAB-approved school are also eligible to sit for the national exam and receive national certification. We encourage all prospective practitioners to review the licensing requirements for the state in which they intend to practice.
View Curriculum Requirements of the California Acupuncture Board.
Most other states require acupuncture specialists to have taken the exams of and/or obtained certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Practitioners with this certification are granted the title of Diplomate in Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.), Herbology (Dipl. C.H.), or Oriental Medicine (Dipl. OM). NCCAOM develops and administers the exam, while the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) creates the standards of training and approves schools. ACAOM is approved by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit acupuncture training programs. The NCCAOM follows the curriculum requirements set by ACAOM when developing its exams and determining eligibility for applicants. Even with an NCCAOM certification and initials, different states then grant titles such as Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac. or Lic.Ac.), Certified Acupuncturist (C.A.), or Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.). A few states grant titles with wording including the term “doctor” or “physician,” as in “doctor of oriental medicine” or “acupuncture physician.”