About Us

FSOMA’s Mission: To promote and protect the profession of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Florida and to support our members.

Passion for our Profession Shows in our Leadership

 

FSOMA's ByLaws click here

FSOMA’s Purpose

  1. To serve as a representative membership organization of the Oriental medical profession.
  1. To maintain the practice of Oriental medicine as a separate and distinct member of the healing arts professions.
  1. To protect in every way not contrary to law the philosophy, science and art of Oriental medicine, and the professional welfare of its members.
  1. To serve as an official spokesperson for and representative of the Oriental medical profession in the State of Florida and to assist all reputable organizations of the profession throughout the world in carrying out compatible purposes, when such purposes are deemed compatible by the Board of Directors as expressed in these By-Laws.
  1. To develop and maintain, when deemed necessary, and in the manner deemed by the Board of Directors, standards of education, ethics and professional competency, health research programs and inter-professional relationships and to promote public understanding of Oriental medicine.
  1. To do all things necessary and proper in the interest of the Oriental medical profession and its members in carrying out the foregoing purposes.

A Brief History

The early history of FSOMA is strongly tied to the founding of the profession of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in the State of Florida.  Early Board members lobbied for the statutes that govern us and went on to serve on the Board of Acupuncture crafting rules that translate those laws into a full practice of medicine.

1981 Acupuncture legalized in Florida.  Some of the early licensees were Linda Chin, William Huang, Robert and Vivid Chung, Su Liang Ku and Joseph Hou.  Apprentice process established which required working under and MDs and DOs.
   
1982 First Acupuncture Exam offered and 30+ APs were licensed.
   
1982 Florida State Acupuncture Association (FSAA) (precursor to FSOMA) established with 30 members, among them were Barbara Mitchell, Anna Lee, Joseph Hou, David Bole and Harvey Kaltsas.   Joseph Hou was president.
   
1984 Practice of Acupuncture established to “certify acupuncturists”.  BOA established with Terre Larsen as Chair.  New Licensing exam established.
   
1985 Harvey Kaltsas became president of FSAA
   
1987 James Pinkman (now Maguire) elected president.  Harvey Kaltsas, David Bole, Luis Celpa were appointed to the Board of Acupuncture and worked to expand the scope of practice.
   
1993 Danny Quaranto became president and the name of the association was changed from FSAA to Florida State Oriental Medical Association (FSOMA).  There are about 1000 licensees in the state.
   
1994 FSOMA established as a 501(c)6 Florida Not for Profit professional association
   
1996 First FSOMA Conference, they were initially held every 2 years. Now they are held yearly with Nationally and Internationally known speakers.  Richard Brown is FSOMA President with yearly terms
   
1997 Mary Riggin was president. First Acupuncture Education Day held in March, planned by Mary Riggiin.  Membership doubled, at 50% level.
   
1998 Riggin joins the Board of Acupuncture to help write the rules from just passed legislation. Legislation expanded our practice
   
1999 First Professional Management hired
   
2001 Growing pains
   
2003 David Rindge becomes president.  Professional lobbyist hired. A revitalized and restructured FSOMA emerges thanks to Isali Ben Jacob and David Rindge.
   
2005

Amy Sear was president. The Conference is now a yearly event.  New management is hired. Mixon & Associates hired as lobbyists.  Connections are made to Florida State government departments and other medical associations.

Brought bank accounts to over $100K, made Annual Conference profitable, restored faith and trust in FSOMA, and began recording conference sessions. Established a vetting process for BOD members

Sear was a founding member of the nationally based Council of State Associations
   
2011 Peggy DeLara was president.  The profession loses PIP – Acupuncture is removed from Auto Accident coverage. FSOMA Strategic Planning instituted. Connections in Tallahassee strengthened.
   
2013 Ellen Teeter was president.   FSOMA exhibits at medical conferences like Worker Comp Institute, Fl Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (FSIPP) and Fl State Massage Therapy Association(FSMTA) promoting referrals and use of AOM.  FSOMA presents a lecture on when to refer for acupuncture at FSIPP
  Over 60 APs and AOM Students attend AcuEd Day in 2016. A charter bus travels from Miami to Tallahassee to pick them up.  Educating the legislature about the problems with dry needling takes center stage.
   
2017 Sandra Kahn is president.  AcuEd Day 2017 focuses on how AOM can help with Opioid epidemic and the problems with dry needling.
 2018  AcuEd Day is scheduled for Feb 20th and the FSOMA Conference August 10-12th

 

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