(

a) For purposes of this chapter, “approved educational and training program” means a school or college offering education and training in the practice of an acupuncturist that meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Offers curriculum that includes at least 3,000 hours of which at least 2,050 hours are didactic and laboratory training, and at least hours are supervised clinical instruction. Has submitted that curriculum to the board, and has received board approval of the curriculum. Any school or college offering education and training in the practice of acupuncture that was approved by the board prior to January 1, 2017, has not had its approval revoked, and has not changed its curriculum since receiving board approval, is deemed to have had its curriculum approved by the board for the purposes of this section.

(2) Has received full institutional approval under

Article 6 (commencing with

Section 94885) of

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Education Code in the field of traditional Asian medicine, or in the case of institutions located outside of this state, approval by the appropriate governmental educational authority using standards equivalent to those of

Article 6 (commencing with

Section 94885) of

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Education Code.

(3) Meets any of the following: (

A) Is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, or its successor entity. (

B) Has been granted preaccreditation status by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, or its successor entity. (

C) Has submitted a letter of intent to pursue accreditation to the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, or its successor entity within days of receiving full institutional approval pursuant to paragraph (2), and is granted preaccreditation status within three years of the date that letter was submitted. (

b) Within days after receiving curriculum pursuant to paragraph (1), the board shall review the curriculum, determine whether the curriculum satisfies the requirements established by the board, and notify the school or college, the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, or its successor entity, and the Bureau for Private and Postsecondary Education of whether the board has approved the curriculum.