Information About Continuing Education
Continuing education units (CEUs) are awarded by education and training providers to professionals in a myriad disciplines to signify successful completion of programs and courses that help professionals both retain relevant and acquire new knowledge and skills directly related to their practice. The number of units (sometimes also known as credits) earned are determined by the number of completed course contact hours. To learn more visit the International Accreditors of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) website.
To ensure the quality and validity of earned CEUs, professionals should research the provider’s accreditation and/or affiliation with professional organizations that set industry standards. Accreditation is a voluntary process of self-regulation and peer review adopted by educational institutions and continuing education providers to evaluate each other in accord with the expressed mission and professional standards. To be recognized as accredited, and thus affiliated with professional associations, an educational institution and/or continuing education provider must prove that certain qualitative characteristics are inherent in their course offerings. An accredited institution typically provides assurance of participating in a quality education experience that has legitimate professional recognition in the area of speciality. Accreditation is an affirmation that an educational institution provides a quality education that the general public has the right to expect and that the educational community recognizes. Accreditation may also allow participants access Federal and/or State of Maryland financial assistance programs, if applicable.
A Licensee’s Continuing Education Requirement
Acupuncturists are required to earn at least 30 continuing education units (CEUs) bi-annually and report this education to the Board. 20 of the CEUs must focus on East Asian medicine. The remaining 10 CEUs can be in Western medicine. Another option for complying with CEUs is in service to the practice through research, teaching and volunteerism. The Board’s C.O.M.A.R has a list of approved institutions that provide recognized CEUs however this list is not exhaustive as provider information can change over time. Ultimately, the Practitioner is responsible for requesting the continuing education provider and instructor’s accreditation status.
However the practitioner complies with the CEU requirement, he/she must retain proof of compliance for four years post that renewal cycle. All means of compliance must be documented. This documentation includes forms such as:
- Certificates - dated, signed, with course name, number of CEUs earned and professional affiliation seals as applicable.
- Notices of Completion - on letterhead, dated, signed, with course name, number of CEUs earned and professional affiliation seals as applicable.
- NCCAOM approved PDA report
- Screenshot confirming course completion accompanied by documentation that includes date, course information, proof of payment. number of CEUs earned and professional affiliation seals as applicable.
- Official transcript for doctoral studies from accredited educational institution, accompanied by course information
10.26.06 Continuing Education.pdfImplicit Bias and Structural Racism
Senate Bill 458 and
House Bill 783The bills were enacted as law effective October 1, 2025. The law (
§1–225.) requires that all health occupations boards require all practitioners applying for license renewal effective April 1, 2026 to attest to completing an approved implicit bias and structural racism training. This is a
new one- time requirement. There is no CEU minimum or maximum to comply with this law. At present the Board's regulations (
10.26.06.03 (A)(2)) allow Licensees to submit ten (10) non-acupuncture and East Asian medicine CEUs toward the 30 CEU renewal requirement.
What is Implicit Bias?
According to
§20–1301(d) implicit bias is defined as a bias in judgment that results from subtle cognitive processes, including the following prejudices and stereotypes that often operate at a level below conscious awareness and without intentional control:
(1) Prejudicial negative feelings or beliefs about a group that an individual holds without being aware of the feelings or beliefs; and (2) Unconscious attributions of particular qualities to a member of a specific social group that are influenced by experience and based on learned associations between various qualities and social categories, including race and gender.
What is Structural Racism?
According to §20–1301(f) “Structural racism” means the totality of ways in which societies foster racial discrimination by mutually reinforcing systems of housing, education, employment, earnings, benefits, credit, media, health care, and criminal justice.
How to Comply With Both One-Time Requirements?
The first one-time implicit bias [only] training requirement was created by Senate Bill 5/House Bill 28, enacted in October 1, 2021 and effective for all license renewals effective April 1, 2022. This requirement is still applicable to licensees completing their first renewal after being initially licensed.
The second and current one-time implicit bias and structural racism training requirement created by Senate Bill 458/House Bill 783, enacted October 1, 2025 and effective for all license renewals effective April 1, 2026.
Click here to view the list of implicit bias and structural racism training courses approved by the Minority Health & Health Disparities, Cultural & Linguistic Health Care Professional Competency Program. These same courses are accepted by the Board. 
