(1) Procedure. The board will consider for approval any school, program, apprenticeship or tutorial which meets the requirements outlined in this regulation and provides the training required under WAC 246-855-020 - Acupuncture assistant education. Approval may be granted to an individual registration applicant's training, or to existing institutions which operate on a continuing basis. Clinical and didactic training may be approved as separate programs or as a joint program. The program approval process is as follows:

(a) Programs seeking approval shall file an application with the board in the format required by the board.

(b) The board will review the application and determine whether a site review is necessary (in the case of an institution) or an interview is appropriate (in the case of individual training) or approval may be granted on the basis of the application alone.

(c) The site review committee shall consist of two board members and one member of the board staff. The review committee may visit the program any time during school operating hours. The committee will report to the board in writing concerning the program's compliance with each section of the regulations.

(d) After reviewing all of the information collected concerning a program; the board may grant or deny approval, or grant approval conditional upon program modifications being made. In the event of denial or conditional approval, the program may request a hearing before the board. No approval shall be extended to an institution for more than three years, at which time a request for reapproval may be made.

(e) The board expects approved programs to not make changes which will result in the program not being in compliance with the regulations. Programs must notify the board concerning significant changes in administration, faculty or curriculum. The board may inspect the school at reasonable intervals to check for compliance. Program approval may be withdrawn, after a hearing, if the board finds the program no longer in compliance with the regulations.

(2) Didactic faculty. Didactic training may only be provided by persons who meet the criteria for faculty as stated in the council for postsecondary education's WAC 250-55-090 - Personal qualifications. Under no circumstances will an unregistered instructor perform or supervise the performance of acupuncture.

(3) Clinical faculty. Clinical training may be provided only by persons who meet the following criteria:

(a) The instructor must be a practitioner who has had a minimum of five years of full time acupuncture practice experience.

(b) If the training is conducted in this state, the practitioner must be registered to practice in this state. In the case of a school or program, the approval of the institution will include a review of the instructor's qualifications and the training arrangements. Approval of the instructors will extend to instruction conducted within the program.

(c) For training not conducted in this state to be acceptable, the instructor must be licensed by a state or country with equivalent license standards.

(4) Supervision of training. Clinical training in this state must be conducted under the general supervision of the instructor's sponsoring physician. During any given clinic period, the acupuncture instructor may not supervise more than four students. The number of students present during an observation session should be limited according to the judgment of the instructor. Supervision by the instructor during clinical training must be direct: Each diagnosis and treatment must be done with the knowledge and concurrence of the instructor. During at least the first 100 treatments, the instructor must be in the room during treatment. Thereafter, the instructor must at least be in the facility, available for consultation and assistance. An osteopathic physician may only supervise two acupuncture assistance instructors per clinical instruction period.