Guide to Using Your Credentials Correctly!
By Dr. Kory Ward-Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Betsy Smith, Deputy Director, and Mina Larson, Director of Communications and Marketing, NCCAOM
One thing is certain about our community and that is the number of impressive credentials that many practitioners hold; however, judging from the variety of methods used to display the credentials which follow a practitioner’s name on business cards, in publications, and everywhere else, there appears to be much confusion about how to use and list credentials correctly. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) practitioners work hard to earn their credentials, not only is it important to display your credentials, but it is equally important to list them correctly.
What’s a Credential?
Before we can start using credentials correctly, we need to understand what each credential is, how it is categorized and, subsequently how it should be displayed. Below is a brief description of the different types of credentials used by professionals and the correct way to use them:
Degree (e.g. M.S., J.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., D.O.M., etc.)
These credentials are awarded based on the completion of a particular educational program. The choice of whether to use all your degrees is a personal one. In most cases, one should list the lowest to the highest degree earned, such as “Mary Smith, M.S, Ph.D.”. The preferred method is to list only the highest academic degree, for example, only the Ph.D. even though you may have earned a Masters degree as well. If you have also earned a Masters (M.S.,MOM, MBA, etc.); however, you may want to highlight it if the degree is important to your career at the current time. For example, you may have a D.O.M. degree, but you may wish to highlight that you earned an MBA, if, for instance, you are running a clinic or another type of business. Your degrees would then be designated, Joe Smith, D.O.M., MBA.
State Licensure (e.g., L.Ac., R.N., L.P.N.)
The state licensure credential is generally awarded based on the completion of a specified educational program, and the successful passing of a national licensure or certification exam along with other requirements specified by the state issuing the credential. The licensure credential allows the person to practice in the issuing state. Using the case above, if Joe Smith is a licensed acupuncturist, typically his designations would be displayed as Joe Smith D.O.M., MBA, L.Ac.( or other similar designation).
Some states have also protected the titles they use in their regulations or statutes, which means you cannot use a protected credential in that state unless authorized to do so by the board or commission that governs practice of acupuncture. To do so would be violating law in that state.
Professional Certification
These credentials are awarded by a nationally recognized, usually accredited, certifying body, such as NCCAOM. These professional certification credentials are usually linked to the knowledge, skills and abilities competencies for a particular profession which must be validated through a national role delineation or job task analysis. Certifications like the CAE (Certified Association Executive) from the American Society of Association Executive’s certification commission would also be included here as a professional credential. National certifications can be entry-level or advanced certifications such as Nurse Practitioner. For practitioners in the AOM community who have earned an entry-level certification from the NCCAOM, the designations are: Dipl. OM (NCCAOM), Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM) and Dipl. A.B.T (NCCAOM).
Other Credentials
These can include a variety of things like certification for computer skills, for instance, those who earn a certificate through Microsoft. These credentials may or may not be associated with the profession or license, but they do indicate additional skill sets a person has acquired through education or testing. Typically these are awarded after a specified curriculum has been completed or mastered. Another type of credential is one to qualify for membership or a membership status. Examples of these designations would be a “Fellow” designation. These may be earned on the basis of earning certification and/or meeting professional credentials and service criteria, or both. A recent example in the AOM community is the Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (FABORM).
Awards or Honors
These awards are given to individuals who are selected for their outstanding service or accomplishments in a particular area. Generally these are not listed as designations after the individual’s name, instead are listed on a resume or curriculum vitae. Examples of these designations are the Fulbright Distinguished Senior Fellowship or a Distinguished Scholar or Teacher Award from a University.
The NCCAOM Certification Credentials
It is puzzling to see the number of certified NCCAOM Diplomates who do not list their national certification credentials. One of the benefits of becoming certified by the NCCAOM is the distinction of using your Diplomate credentials. It is a considerable professional achievement to earn the designation “Diplomate of Oriental Medicine, Diplomate of Acupuncture, Diplomate of Chinese Herbology or Diplomate of Asian Bodywork Therapy from the NCCAOM. NCCAOM certification indicates to employers, patients, and peers that one has met national standards for the safe and competent practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine as defined by the profession. National board certification in acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, Asian Bodywork Therapy and Oriental Medicine has been the mark of excellence in AOM since the inception of each certification program. It is for this reason that the NCCAOM encourages all of NCCAOM Diplomates to correctly and uniformly utilize their credentials after their name along with the initials of NCCAOM in parenthesis. NCCAOM is in the process of receiving trademark for all (registered) NCCAOM designations by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It already has received an international trademark for its logo, service marks, and tagline.
Proper Display of Credentials
Below is a chart that displays the accurate designations for each NCCAOM certification, as well as academic credentials and other designations. Also included in the chart are examples of how to designate more than one NCCAOM certification, along with other credentials and how to list your credentials in the proper order. It is important to remember that your academic degree is listed first, directly after your name, then your certification and finally your licensure title. The general rule of thumb is “Follow your name with the credential that is least likely to be taken away, in descending order, with awards or fellowship designations last.” If multiple certifications are earned, the most recently earned one is usually placed last. It is the hope that all practitioners will use this chart as a guide for all further communication. See Table 1. below:
Table 1: Proper Designations for NCCAOM Certifications with Other Credentials and Designations
| Acupuncture | Chinese Herbology | Asian Bodywork Therapy | Oriental Medicine |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Smith, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM) | John Smith, Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM) | John Smith, Dipl. A.B.T. (NCCAOM) | John Smith, Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM) |
| John Smith, M.A, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), L.Ac. | John Smith, M.B.A., J.D., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM), L.Ac. | John Smith, M.O.M., Dipl. A.B.T. (NCCAOM), R.N. | John Smith, Ph.D., Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM), L.Ac. |
| John Smith, M.A, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), L.Ac., FABORM | John Smith, M.B.A., J.D., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM), L.Ac. CI AOBTA®, | John Smith, M.O.M., R.N., Dipl. A.B.T. (NCCAOM), CP AOBTA® | John Smith, Ph.D., Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM), L.Ac. , FABORM |
Please remember that educating the public about what your credentials mean is your responsibility. If you are applying for a particular job, giving an important presentation or promoting your practice, you can be sure that properly displaying your degrees and credentials will provide additional information on your background and skills. You worked hard to get them, so by all means use them –correctly – and have them pay off for you.
References:
For additional information on the different types of acronyms, please go to acronyms.thefreedictionary.com
For more information on state designated titles for acupuncturists, please go to the NCCAOM website at www.nccaom.org/applicants/state_data/State_sheet.htm