Expert: Heather Vandeburg L.Ac M.S.O.M. dipl.Ac - 7/3/2008

Question
QUESTION: I know an x-chiro. that just recently had his D.C. license revoked. He obtained an acu. 'cert' under the profession. My question is, If your D.C. license is revoked, then you can no longer practice acu. either, correct?  I asked the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners about it and they didn't know!!!

Thank you so much for your help.
Melanie

ANSWER: This is kinda out of my area of expertise.  I would say that he was doing his acupuncture under his chiro lisc.  Unless he has a separate acupuncture lisc he shouldn't be able to practice acupuncture.  Just an aside.  He has much more training as a chiropractor than an acupuncturist.  If he is inefficient at chiropractic I can't imagine his inadequacy at acupuncture.

Hope this helps.

Heather Vandeburg LAc MSOM diplAc


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: First, thanks so much for your quick reply. I actually forgot that I sent it. Now I have to ask, what all of your specialties are?  Diplomate Acu.? Anyway, I called the Texas Medical Board since they "licensed" Acu.'s fall under their umbrella so to speak. They too were clueless other than to tell me to file a complaint. I don't have a complaint..Yet. I did some checking on pertinent Admin., Occ., Ed. and Acu. rules. What I got from the wording/outline of TAC rule (71.13) "Chiropractic Specialities", was that the applicant shall be responsible for providing all documents required by the board and the applicant shall have the "burden" of demonstrating that the specialty area should be recognized by the board. Upon approval of a specialty area, the board shall promulgate a regulation establishing the minimum initial and continuing education requirements, application fee, and documentation required for verification of compliance with all educational requirements. Licensees receiving board-approved specialty certification shall be entitled to use the terms, specialty, or specializing in public communications, including advertisements, letterhead, and signage.  The board then shares responsibility over the specialty the approved, right? The TBCE, Scott, disagrees. I told him that I saw this goof show up in a google search with a short blurb that he is a "doctor" of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. He is way out there. As I said I checked various other rules as well but there are too many to locate which were applicable in the particular area. I will attach a link that has "ALL" of the Occupational rules which I do remember reading somewhere that the Sunset Advisory Committee put their two cents in about these grey areas and that they are to be decided and plans made accordingly. I think in the Licensing Rules (55.) may be where I read about it. Anyway, check out this link and all the rules, not only for the licensee's but the board's as well. Scott, TBCE, did tell me that if Guidry doesn't take down his sites, etc. soon, it wouldn't matter anyway because he is going to send the case over to the D.A.  It is such a long, long story.  But that man thinks that he is qualified to practice in whatever area he "read" about that week...From P.T. to Chiro. to being a paramedic, Healer, M.T., Acu., down to his latest: An Ordained Minister in the religion of Eckankar!  Gotta go now.  Thanks for the ear (eye?) and here is the link. It is the DOS I believe and has everything from A-Z:  http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/octoc.html#top
Thank you again and have a great night.
Melanie

Answer
Hi Melanie,
My credentials are: Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine. Over 2900 hours of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) training. I have Bachelors degrees in Biology and Nutrition. I am licensed by 5 states to practice Acupuncture. I am a "diplAc" board certified by the NCCAOM.  I am clean needle certified by the CCAOM. I have certification from Guang Zhou University in Guang Zhou China.

Chiro's like this guy give us all a bad name.Good Luck.
Heather Vandeburg LAc MSOM diplAc