Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about the Sports Medicine Acupuncture Certification (SMAC) Program. Already certified? See the C.SMA FAQs.
Getting certified
The SMAC Program now has one track: the Hybrid track. It consists of 10 recorded courses plus 4 in-person courses held in San Diego, California.
- Module I: Huatuojiaji Points: Vertebral Fixations and Facilitated Segments (2 days)
- Module II: The Low Back, Hip & Groin Assessment & Treatment of Injury (5 days)
- Module III: The Lower Extremity Assessment & Treatment of Injury (5 days)
- Module IV: The Neck, Shoulder and Upper Extremity Assessment & Treatment of Injury (5 days)
If you are pursuing certification, you have two program years to complete all of the material.
To apply online SMAC Program recorded courses toward your SMA certification, email [email protected] with a copy of your CE certificate.
Students pursuing certification must complete all in-person and recorded sections of each module. If you have already begun taking courses all in-person, you have several options:
- If you have started a module and are missing only the in-person Assessment & Treatment of Injury course, you only need to take that course to complete the module.
- All PIAP and MTTE courses still count toward your certification if taken during the 2023–2024 Program.
- If you have started a module and are missing one or two of the Anatomy, Palpation Cadaver (APC) Lab, Assessment & Treatment of the Channel Sinews (ATS or SAM) or Postural Assessment & Corrective Exercise (PACE) courses, you can complete the recorded courses then attend the in-person Assessment & Treatment of Injury course in San Diego.
- If you have taken only the in-person Assessment & Treatment of Injury course and none of the other courses in the module, you can take the rest of the courses online.
The in-person and recorded SMA intensive classes are developed for licensed acupuncturists and acupuncture students to learn how to integrate traditional Chinese medicine and sports medicine in the assessment and treatment of many common musculoskeletal injuries.
Intensive courses range from foundational SMA training to cadaver lab training, qi gong classes and more. They provide unique assessment and treatment skills, and new, evolved information that can be applied clinically right away — a long-standing SMA strength.
No, you may start at any stage of the program. Learning within each module is sequential, so we recommend starting at the beginning of a module if possible.
Participants must complete all four modules within two program years from their start date to become licensed in Sports Medicine Acupuncture. If courses or modules are not available within that two-year window, the completion time frame is extended accordingly.
Yes. Participants enrolled for SMA certification must pass four recorded module exams and the final practical exam to become certified graduates and be granted use of the Sports Medicine Acupuncture license.
Participants taking SMA courses who are not enrolled for certification do not need to take any exams.
Acupuncture students taking recorded SMAC courses do not need to take the quiz at that time, since they will not need CEUs.
C.SMA are the initials an acupuncturist receives once they are certified in Sports Medicine Acupuncture and licensed to use the exclusive “Sports Medicine Acupuncture®” trademark.
Questions about an existing C.SMA certification? See the C.SMA FAQ.
Who can attend
Absolutely. You may take individual courses in the SMAC Program and earn CEUs / PDAs for each course.
No, whatever your specialization, musculoskeletal injury is the most common complaint that brings patients to acupuncture. This program addresses not only professional athletes but anyone with a work- or sports-related injury. Because it integrates TCM and sports medicine, the tools you learn apply to all age groups and levels of fitness.
For in-person courses, participants must be licensed or registered acupuncturists and provide proof of graduation from an ACAOM-accredited or equivalent traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture school. They must also have at least 2,000 hours of acupuncture and TCM training, and provide proof of an active license and malpractice insurance.
Acupuncture students may enroll in all recorded courses, but cannot attend the in-person Assessment & Treatment of Injury (ATI) courses because of the extensive amount of needling involved.
Acupuncture students may enroll in all online courses, but cannot attend the live, in-person Assessment & Treatment of Injury (ATI) courses because of the extensive amount of needling involved.
The SMAC Program is held at Marina Village Conference Center in San Diego, California. We also offer in-person SMA intensive classes around the world.
Meet our instructors and read their bios on the About page. To see who is teaching a particular class, visit the individual class registration page and look at the “Instructor” tab.
Registering & documents
Please make sure all documents are clear, legible and saved as a JPG, PDF or Word document, then upload them to our secure AcuSport Education Dropbox folder:
- A copy of your current acupuncture license or registration.
- A copy of your diploma from an ACAOM-accredited or equivalent traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture school. See the Program Requirements tab on the SMAC Program overview for more information.
- A copy of your current malpractice insurance.
To upload
- Open the AcuSport Education Dropbox upload page (opens in a new tab).
- Select where your documents are stored.
- Attach the documents.
- Choose Upload.
Questions about your documentation? Email [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. For Dropbox issues, visit Dropbox Help (opens in a new tab).
For recorded courses, we do not need proof of diploma or licensure, but you must provide your acupuncture license number to earn CEUs. Acupuncture students need only provide proof of current enrollment in an accredited acupuncture school, showing your name, current class schedule and the current date.
To add a course
Visit the course registration page, select the course/s you would like to add, and re-enter your contact and billing information.
To modify or cancel
Email [email protected] to modify or cancel your existing registration. See the cancellation policy for details.
For in-person courses, seminar notes can be downloaded within three days before the class starts. You will receive an email with a code that grants access to the notes for 48 hours. Students also receive a study guide three weeks before course to help them prepare.
For SMAC recorded courses and SMA intensive recorded courses, notes are included in the course.
Webinars & continuing education
Yes. Live webinar registrants receive a copy of the recording. If you cannot attend the entire live webinar, you will receive CEU credit only after watching the full recording and passing a short comprehension quiz, as required by the NCCAOM and California Acupuncture Board. Students who attend the entire live webinar and check in and out at the required times throughout do not need to take a quiz; their certificate is provided once the class survey is completed.
Yes! About 8–12 weeks after the class ends, distance-learning CEs are granted for it. Contact Net of Knowledge through your portal and ask them to move the distance-learning class into your portal free of charge. You can then take the short comprehension quiz at the end of the webinar, and your certificate will be instantly downloadable. The number of CEs may vary slightly because of editing, but the difference should be minimal.
Email [email protected] with a copy of your CE certificate, and write “APPLYING A RECORDED COURSE FOR SMA CERTIFICATION” in the subject line. If you have any questions, email Patricia at the same address.
Yes, all courses are approved for NCCAOM and CAB CEUs.
The CEUs for each class are listed on the in-person course registration, SMAC recorded courses and SMA intensive courses pages.
Cost, discounts & cancellations
The cost depends on how you register and whether you buy recorded classes as a bundle or individually. Registering for the entire online portion of a module is discounted, but you can also spread out payments by registering for one course at a time.
Online course prices are on the SMAC recorded courses page — the first option under each module registers you for all of that module’s course at a discounted rate. For in-person course costs and discounts, visit the course registration page and check the “Discounts & Coupon Code” tab on each class’s registration page.
No, each course may be purchased separately, and discounts are available when you purchase all online courses within a module (the first option in each section of the SMAC recorded courses page). Payment plans may also be available for in-person courses — contact [email protected].
Yes, for courses sponsored by AcuSport Education, repeat students receive a 10% discount when attending the same course within two years. Discounted seats are limited per course, so please register as early as possible.
intensive & certification courses
For in-person courses, cancellations received more than 21 days before the course start date may be eligible for a full refund, less a $50 cancellation fee and an 8% transaction fee for credit card payments. All cancellations must be made in writing and emailed to [email protected]. Cancellations made within 21 days of the start date, and registrants who do not attend without notice, are not eligible for a refund.
Refunds are credited to the original credit card used for payment, or by check if applicable. Course notes are available for 14 days after the course ends. Registrants are responsible for all shipping charges.
Partial completions
Participants do not receive credit for missed sessions or certificates of completion for partially completed courses.
AcuSport Education cancellations
AcuSport Education reserves the right to cancel an in-person course because of low enrollment or other circumstances that make it non-viable. If we cancel a course, registered students receive a full tuition refund. AcuSport Education does not cover travel costs incurred because of a canceled course.
Still have a question?
We’re happy to help. Send us a message, or read more about the program.
