Accreditation of Ayurvedic programs is a critical step on the journey towards recognition and licensure for Ayurveda in the USA, thereby enabling Ayurveda to have its rightful place among other healing arts and sciences in the West. An important step in this process is assuring the students, the public and the Department of Education that peer-reviewed Ayurvedic education measures up as a modern, professional, medical training. 

In March 2019, I was invited to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Ayurvedic Medical Accreditation Council (NAMAC), recently renamed the Ayurvedic Accreditation Commission (AAC). AAC is a thriving accrediting body, serving Ayurvedic schools, students, and the community at large. It is an independent, diverse organization with a mandate to represent the interests of all stakeholders in the Ayurveda community. 

Looking back, I feel proud to declare that we have come a long way in just under five years. I feel privileged to be a part of a vibrant team and our success as the accrediting body for Ayurveda in the USA is no longer in question. We have a significant number of programs in candidacy for accreditation with more expressing interest on a regular basis.  

The road ahead of us will predictably have challenges, but failure is not an option. As a member of the AAC board, I am passionate about, and committed to, AAC’s mission, goals, and values and will continue working diligently to represent AAC to the broader community, including Ayurvedic medicine professionals, educators, philanthropic leaders and donors. 

As of July 1, the AAC has 10 schools with a total of 16 programs in Candidacy for Accreditation. We anticipate another 5 five programs to enter candidacy by the Fall. This is truly remarkable and speaks to the level of commitment these programs have made to their students and the future of Ayurvedic medicine in the US. 

If you are considering accreditation of your Ayurvedic medicine program, please contact us at info@ayurvedicaccreditation.org

As we continue to roll out AAC’s new look, we are very pleased to share our updated program badges (above).

AAC became the educational oversight body for programs previously recognized by the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA). This agreement is in effect through September 2024 and the qualifying programs are noted with the Recognized Program badge.

Candidacy for Accreditation is granted to programs that have satisfied eligibility requirements and show substantial compliance with the Commission’s accreditation standards and policies at a level that is reasonable for the program’s stage of development. Following approval, Candidates for Accreditation will become Accredited Programs.

Webinar Series for Programs in Candidacy

These webinars are provided for candidate programs to assist in developing their self-study reports as part of the accreditation process. The recordings of these sessions, along with supporting documentation, will be available to candidate programs on the dedicated resource page on our website. These presentations include time for open discussion and Q+A with participants and AAC’s Executive Director, Dr. Lisa Cavallaro.

NEXT PRESENTATION:
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 at 1 pm Eastern Time
Qualified program representatives will be emailed a link to join.

THE FUTURE OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE IN THE UNITED STATES

If you believe in the value of integrative medicine to support health and well-being, please consider a financial donation to AAC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.