Online Program with One In-Person Weekend in Hamilton, Canada for Eligible Regulated Health Professionals. Please do not register until you read our admissions criteria or contact us as the application fees and Moneris bank fees are non-refundable. acupuncture@mcmaster.ca (905) 546-5500

Online Program with One In-Person Weekend Spring 2026 Program

Registration for the Spring Program opens on January 5, 2026, at 9:00 AM.  The Special Discount Tuition fee (including application fees) is $ 4,995 per registrant for the first ten registrants.

This Extended Fundamental Level introduces the basic concepts of acupuncture treatment, including the neuroanatomical, evidence-based, and basic science approaches to common musculoskeletal conditions.  Safety issues and potential complications from acupuncture treatments will be discussed.  Topics such as dry needling, trigger point applications, and electrical stimulation will be explored.  The online lecture format will be used for lectures, as well as for written and practical examinations.  There will be one weekend of in-person practical sessions to practice safe needling in small group sessions in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (and in Niagara Falls, New York if more than six students register for this location).  There will be self-study components to explore more in-depth the theoretical foundations of acupuncture and to plan for treatment protocols.  The registrant may claim up to 200 hours of credits for work completed.  The core components consist of 50 hours (ACUP 1A25, 1B25, 1C25) of in-person or online contact through Zoom.  The extra hours of self-study (150 hours: Module I – ACUP1D25, due the day before the examination, and Module II, due three months after the examination date) are available for registrants to meet the requirements of their regulatory colleges or boards.

Physicians from the United States requiring 300 hours of training should contact us before registering, as the regular online program is only up to 200 hours.

ONLINE PROGRAM (with one weekend of in-person practical sessions in Hamilton, Ontario)
From March 1, 2026, Archived point anatomy and point location videos will be available to be watched before practical sessions.  Courses 1A25, 1B25, 1C25, and 1D25 would have been deemed to have started on March 1, 2026.

Practical session dates. These six half-day sessions are mandatory to attend in full at the scheduled times. Five half-days will be held in person, and one half-day of practical point consolidation will be conducted via Zoom.

Practical dates are Friday, March 27, 2026, from 5:00 to 9:15 PM, In-Person in Hamilton, Ontario.
Saturday, March 28, 2026, 8:00 AM – 5:15 PM In-Person in Hamilton, Ontario
Sunday, March 29, 2026, 8:00 AM -5:15 PM In-Person in Hamilton, Ontario
Friday, May 8, 2026, 1:00-5:15 PM Zoom

The exam will be on May 9, 2026
9:00-12:00 PM Practical exam through Zoom
1:00-5:00 PM for Written online

Tuition Fees
The entire program, with up to 200 hours of credits
Regular fee: $8495 Tuition and Examination fees + $1500 application fee ($250 per course or examination)

Please save these slots for scheduling issues
Friday, April 24, 2026, 1:00-5:15 PM, April 25, 26, 2026, 8:00 AM -5:15 PM
Friday, May 8, 2026, 5:00-9:15 PM

Live lectures are held simultaneously with the in-person program. For the online Cohort, lectures are available to watch at your own convenience until May 9, 2026, at 7:00 AM, the day of the exam.

GENERAL NOTICE: To be accepted into the program, registrants must have a smartphone and an up-to-date computer with a camera and high-speed internet.  A program equivalent to Safe-Exam Browser must be successfully added.  A staff member will contact you to make sure your computer and phone are in compliance.

Please ensure you can attend the scheduled dates for the in-person practical sessions in Hamilton and the online examinations before registering for our program.  Please ensure you register for the correct program and that our program is for you.  Once registered, the application fees and the Moneris bank fees are NON-REFUNDABLE.

Note: Registrants from the in-person cohort who wish to participate in any of the online components must pay the difference between the full online program fee and the fee they have already paid. Their registration will then be updated to reflect the online status.  No switching or changing to the online cohort from the in-person cohort is allowed within 30 days or less from the date of the Fundamental examination.

Students must successfully pass the written and practical examinations within two years of registering and starting the acupuncture program.  Otherwise, students will not be admitted to the examinations unless they have taken a refresher course and completed all the practical session requirements again.

Please note that this McMaster Medical Acupuncture Program: An Evidence-based Approach is chaired by Dr. K. Trinh.  If you intend to sign up for the Acupuncture Canada Acupuncture Program, the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College Acupuncture Program, or the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program by Dr. Elorriaga, please do not sign up for our program, as the Moneris bank transaction fees and the application fees to our program are non-refundable.

Students should consider purchasing cancellation insurance through a provider such as Allianz Global Assistance (www.allianz-assistance.ca). We strictly enforce our cancellation policy regardless of the reason for cancellation.

Niagara Falls, New York Option: For US health professionals, registration is available for the In-Person practical sessions in Niagara Falls, New York, provided there are six or more students registered for the Niagara Falls, NY site.  They will initially be registered to the Hamilton site on the above dates (March 27, 28 and 29) until the six spots are filled,

Niagara Falls, New York Option: Practical dates are Friday, April 10, 2026, from 5:00 to 9:15 PM, In-Person in Niagara Falls, New York.
Saturday, April 11, 2026, 8:00 AM – 5:15 PM In-Person in Niagara Falls, New York.
Sunday, April 12, 2026, 8:00 AM -5:15 PM In-Person in Niagara Falls, New York.
Friday, May 8, 2026, 1:00-5:15 PM Zoom

The exam will be on May 9, 2026
9:00-12:00 PM Practical exam through Zoom
1:00-5:00 PM for Written online

Please save these slots for scheduling issues
Friday, April 24, 2026, 1:00-5:15 PM, April 25, 26, 2026, 8:00 AM -5:15 PM
Friday, May 8, 2026, 5:00-9:15 PM

Online Program with One In-Person Weekend Fall 2025 Program

The early-bird Special discount spots for the first ten complete registrations are all taken up.  If you receive a July/August promotional flyer at $5995, please enter the promotional code at the time of registration to receive the $5995 rate (the regular fee is $8995).  The registration for the fall program opens on June 3, 2025, at 09:00 AM.

This extended fundamental level introduces the basic concepts of acupuncture treatment, including the neuroanatomical, evidence-based, and basic science approach to common musculoskeletal conditions.  Safety issues and potential complications from acupuncture treatments will be discussed.  Topics such as dry needling, trigger point applications, and electrical stimulation will be explored.  The online lecture format will be used for the lectures and the written and practical examinations.  There will be one weekend of in-person practical sessions to practice safe needling in small group sessions in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  There will be self-study components to explore more in-depth theoretical foundations of acupuncture and to plan for treatment protocols.  The registrant may claim up to 200 hours of credits for work completed.  The core components consist of 50 in-person or online contact hours through Zoom.  The extra hours of self-study (150 hours) are available for registrants to meet the requirements of their regulatory colleges or boards.

Physicians from the United States requiring 300 hours of training should contact us before registering, as the regular online program is up to 200 hours only.

ONLINE PROGRAM (with one weekend of in-person practical sessions in Hamilton, Ontario)
From September 1, 2025, Archived point anatomy and point location videos will be available to be watched before practical sessions.

Practical session dates. These six half days are mandatory to attend in full at the scheduled slots. Five half-days are in person, and one-half day of practical point consolidation over Zoom.

Practical dates are Friday, October 3, 2025, from 5:00-9:15 PM In-Person in Hamilton, Ontario
Saturday, October 4, 2025, 8:00 AM – 5:15 PM In-Person in Hamilton, Ontario
Sunday, October 5, 2025, 8:00 AM -5:15 PM In-Person in Hamilton, Ontario
Friday, December 12, 2025, 1:00-5:15 PM Zoom

Live lectures are at the same time as the in-person program. For the online Cohort, lectures are available to watch on your own time until the day of the exam, on December 13, 2025.

Please save these slots for scheduling issues
Friday, October 24, 2025, 1:00-5:00 PM, October 25, 26, 2025, 8:00 AM -5:15 PM
Friday, December, 12, 2025, 5:00-9:15 PM

The exam will be on December 13, 2025
9:00-12:00 PM Practical exam through Zoom
1:00-5:00 PM for Written online

In order to be accepted into the program, registrants are required to have a smartphone and an up-to-date computer with a camera and high-speed internet.  A program equivalent to Safe-Exam Browser will need to be successfully added.  A staff member will contact you to make sure your computer and phone are in compliance.

Please make sure you can attend the dates for the in-person practical sessions in Hamilton and the online examinations before you register for our program.  Please ensure you register for the correct program and that our program is for you.  Once registered, the application fees and the Moneris bank fees are NON-REFUNDABLE.

Tuition Fees
The entire program, with up to 200 hours of credits
Regular fee: $8495
The early-bird Special discount is $4995 per registrant for the first ten complete registrations. It opens on January 2, 2025, at 09:00 AM and is available for up to 30 days, whichever comes first.
Note: Registrants from the in-person cohort wanting to participate in any of the online components must pay the difference between the full online program fee and the fee they paid, and their registration will be changed to online status.  No switching or changing to the online cohort from the in-person cohort is allowed within 30 days or less from the date of the Fundamental examination.

Students must successfully pass the written and practical examinations within two years of registering and starting the acupuncture program.  Otherwise, students will not be admitted to the examinations unless they have taken a refresher course and completed all the practical session requirements again.

Please note that this McMaster Medical Acupuncture Program: An Evidence-based Approach is chaired by Dr. K. Trinh.  If you intend to sign up for the Acupuncture Canada Acupuncture Program, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College Acupuncture Program, or the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program by Dr. Elorriaga, please do not sign up for our program, as the Moneris bank transaction fees and the application fees to our program are non-refundable.

Students should consider purchasing cancellation insurance through a provider such as Allianz Global Assistance (www.allianz-assistance.ca). We strictly enforce our cancellation policy regardless of the reason for cancellation.