What is TCMtests.com?

TCMtests.com is the original, largest, most innovated and used online high value test preparation site for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine practitioners. We help you pass the first time! We specialize in providing you with the best online tools to prepare for your professional licensing examination. TCMtests.com is a systematic, comprehensive, professional review of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Oriental Medicine focusing on National [NCCAOM™] and California [CALE] board examinations content and requirements. TCMtests.com - Test with confidence!

Why should I subscribe to TCMtests.com?

TCMtests.com has developed a system for you to assess your knowledge and build your confidence with our innovative study tool we call the Stratified Diagnostic System. This unique system, only available at TCMtests.com, allows you to determine your stratified level of knowledge by answering our DX Mock Exams, DX Assessment Tests and DX Quizzes. Each of these can focus only on easy questions, only on medium difficulty questions, only on hard questions or only on mixed difficulty questions.

Our system provides you with objective proof of your TCM knowledge compared to thousands of your peers. You can assess your understanding and retention at each level of difficulty (easy, medium, hard, mixed) by answering our stratified bank of questions. Each aspect of our Stratified Diagnostic System lets you know your strong and weak topics in a module at each stratified difficulty level. You can thus assess your level of preparation. For example, if you have low scores on exams, tests and quizzes that only have easy questions, you are are not ready to take the board exam.

As you increase your knowledge of TCM and experience by answering the questions in our Stratified Diagnostic System, you can take our Board Mock Exam. We provide you with the most authentic experience of taking the California [CALE] or National [NCCAOM] Board Mock Exams, giving you a realistic, computer generated question experience based upon the question style, format, content, timing, and feel of a computer-generated question simulation. Each time you take one of our Mock Exams you get different set of questions. At the end of the Mock Exam you know how well you did in each board topic, just like the real exam.

Many Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine students prepare for a board exam by focusing on books, lectures, in-person, or online seminars. The key we found to passing a board exam is to develop two necessary skills. The first skill is to thoroughly master and comprehend the Oriental Medicine board content material. TCMtests.com extends and supercharges the information and knowledge necessary to pass the board by providing referenced commentary on each question detailing why the answer is correct and the other choices are incorrect. However, there is a second very important skill. A student may know the material but unless the student also practices this second skill, failure is still possible. That second skill is the ability to take an online exam. By repeatedly answering TCMtests study questions in our Stratified Diagnostic System, the student learns the test-taking skills of excluding the incorrect choices and choosing the correct answer in a timely manner. TCMtests.com is unique because you practice both skills at the same time, while providing objective evidence of your knowledge base.

Why is TCMtests.com more costly than other competitors?

Because we innovate, using technology to give you the advantage of discovering what you need to study as well as providing you with tools to efficiently study and master the information you need to pass the first time. Since 1993, we lead the way with the most complete test question bank available, training you how to take online tests successfully.

We have developed many unique features to help our subscribers pass the first time. We have collected statistics and developed unique algorithms to determine the degree of difficulty for each question in our databank. The statistics include, but are not limited to, how many subscribers correctly answered the question on the first exposure to the question. If the subscriber incorrectly answered the question on the first exposure, we keep track at which point the correct answer is given as well as how many seconds it took for a subscriber to answer the question. This and other factors allow us to categorize all our board questions in terms of difficulty. This feature is displayed in our National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] DX Mock Exams and the DX Quizzes which are categorized by degree of difficulty as Easy, Medium, Hard and Mixed.

We have another unique tool for you; the iTest, a completely customizable self- assessment tool for you to design your own individualized test. You choose the topic, the number of questions within each topic, and the amount of time you want to spend answering the questions. All our questions provide extensive commentary based on the National [NCCAOM™] and California [CALE] bibliographies. Because of the commentary, you can study the material without having to buy and flip through stacks of books or having to listen to endless lectures.

Professional licensing organizations have estimated that a single question on a board certification exam maybe easily valued between $1,000-$3,000. Considering that board examinations have hundreds, if not thousands, of test questions, a board with a test bank of 1,000 questions can be easily valued at 1 million dollars. TCMtests.com has over 30,000 questions to use. Compared to the high cost you pay for the 2½ or 5 hours you sit for your NCCAOM™ or CALE Board Exams, TCMtests.com is a good value.

What is the best way to pass the first time using TCMtests.com?

To pass the first time the National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] is a big deal! It is proof of your hard work, education, and sacrifices you made in becoming a licensed Acupuncturist or Oriental Medicine Doctor. Since 1993, TCMtests.com has been there to help thousands of your predecessors pass their boards with our extensive up-to-date question bank and now with our innovative DX Mock Exam, DX Quizzes providing you objective proof of mastery of the board exam material as an Easy, Medium, Hard or MIXED level compared to your peer subscribers.

To achieve passing the first time there are a lot of tasks and work to be done. Here are our recommendations:

1. Develop a schedule. Plan to start slowly, progress to more challenging levels, then review. Relax 2-3 days before the exam. Suggested daily schedule: 2-6 hours/day 5-6 days per week (Take one day per week off for family, relaxation, and mental break.) for 2-4 months per module of National [NCCAOM™] and 4 months for California [CALE].
2. After you subscribe, go to your Dashboard, click on activate, go to the DX Stratified Mock Exams, and start with the DX Stratified Mock Exam EASY (NCCAOM™ Module is 100 questions, 2.5 hours and CALE is 200 questions, 5 hours). View your results, identify the weak areas and the strong areas.
3. From the results of your DX Stratified Mock Exam EASY, you now have objective evidence of where you stand so you can develop a game plan based upon what, when, and how you are going to study to improve your score. Set your goals and timeline. All DX tools are designed to help you decrease wasted study time. So, use them to your advantage in your FlexTime subscription!
4. In areas you did poorly, go to the corresponding DX Quizzes EASY within the module and study the topics you are weak in. Your goal is average score of 80% in the weak topics.
5. After you have improved your weak areas in the DX Quizzes EASY, recheck yourself with the DX Stratified EASY Assessment Test.
6. Repeat steps 2-4 above with the DX Stratified Mock Exam MEDIUM and the DX Stratified Mock Exam HARD
7. Three to eight weeks before the scheduled exam take an iTest. That is, make up your own exam by choosing the content material, number of questions, and time to complete. This is ideal to develop timing, completion of x questions done in y minutes. Let's say in iTest you want to practice 3-4 different areas you had difficulty with; you decide on 50 questions to be completed in 60 minutes. Take your self-created iTest and see your score.
8. One week before the scheduled board exam, take our Mock Exam. The goal is an average score of 80%.

What are the FlextTime National [NCCAOM™] and California [CALE] subscriptions?

They are customizable subscriptions where you choose the number of days you buy, the number of modules you buy and start and pause dates. It is totally up to you how many days, how many modules and when to start each module and when to pause it. You decide!

FlexTime subscriptions are designed for you to use our Stratified Diagnostic System to determine your strengths and weaknesses, then go to the DX Quizzes and Review Areas as a remedy to improve your weak areas of knowledge. You have access to all parts of the module you subscribe to and can take as many tests and quizzes as you want during this subscription time. The Test Trends, our special test tips, are only avaible in subscriptions of at least 7 days.

The FlexTime National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] subscription includes:

1. Mock Exam - our simulated exam closest to the real exam
2. DX Mock Exams - choose from three stratified difficulty levels: EASY, MEDIUM, HARD
3. DX Assessment Tests - quick check yourself in each of the three difficulty levels: EASY, MEDIUM, HARD, MIXED
4. DX Quizzes - choose the quizzes to EASY, MEDIUM, HARD and MIXED
5. iTest - create your own tests from our questions.
6. Review Areas section within each Module - for the most complete way to study all the material.
7. Test Trends - important tips on what to expect in the actual exam! (Available only 7+ days subscriptions.

You can take as many Board Exams, DX Stratified Mock Exams, DX Stratified Assessement Tests, DX Quizzes, iTests, and Review Area tests as you want with each FlextTime [NCCAOM™] and California [CALE] subscriptions for the duration of your subscription.

What is the difference between the California [CALE] and National [NCCAOM™] board subscriptions?

Both subscriptions include four study areas - acupuncture, biomedicine, foundations, and herbology. The California [CALE] subscription has access to all four modules at once, thus the higher price. The National [NCCAOM™] subscription divides up the modules individually, thus the lower price. Because the content and references are similar, both subscriptions share many of the same questions. However, the California [CALE] subscription focuses on the California [CALE] rules, regulations, herbs, and formulas, while the National [NCCAOM™] subscription focuses on the national rules, regulations, herbs, and formulas. Depending on the National [NCCAOM™] subscription module, the module will have questions on both TCM and 5-Element acupuncture, point location images and questions, trigger points, and motor points. The California [CALE] subscription differs with its' own California style descriptive TCM point location questions.

Each National [NCCAOM™] Mock Exam consists of 100 questions to be completed in 2.5 hours.

The California [CALE] Mock Exam consists of 200 questions across all subjects to be completed in 5 hours.

What is the College Subscription?

The college subscription has a completely different set of questions. It includes basic study material for the four modules (acupuncture, foundations, biomedicine and herbology). It is designed and recommended for first, second, and third year students studying academic material, learning how to take online tests, and preparing for other high value examinations in their school setting. It is not for board prep.

What is the $5 Day Pass?

A Day Pass is defined as one-day 24 consecutive hours use of the TCMtests.com website on the first Tuesday of the month for either the National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] or College subscriptions of the website by anyone who logs in and does not have a current monthly or weekly subscription that is active, paused, or on hold.

1. The $5 Day Pass is on the first Tuesday of the month
2. Registration is open Pacific Time from 12 am to 11:59 pm
3. Register anytime during this 24 hour period
4. The Day Pass lasts 24 consecutive hours from the buy point
5. Only one subscription per Day Pass (National, CALE or College)
6. Once purchased the subscription cannot be switched
7. All four modules are accessible with each Day Pass
8. Paid active subscriptions will be paused during the Day Pass
9. Get a free day by buying 7+ days during the Day Pass week

What does HOLD, ACTIVATE, PAUSE my subscription mean?

Active: any FlexTime subscription that you are actively studying.

On Hold: a FlextTime subscription on the Dashboard that has been purchased and is waiting to be activated.

To immediately and manually activate your On Hold FlexTime subscription, click on Activate.

Pause: a FlexTime [NCCAOM™] or FlexTime California [CALE] subscription that you can manually pause on the dashboard for up to 1 year. All FlexTime subscriptions can be paused one time.

* College subscriptions can be paused and resumed indefinitely during the duration of the subscription. There is a one year limit on reactivating a paused subscription.

To Pause, go to the Dashboard, click on Pause under Active Subscriptions.

To manually Resume before the end of your Pause, go to the Dashboard, click on Resume under Active Subscriptions, and begin studying.

NOTE: From the date of purchase, you have 18 months to activate a subscription that is on hold.

What if the tests are not working?

Try this first: clear your browser cache and cookies and then restart your smart device or computer. Try again. If that does not help, Please contact us immediately by email and include the following information.

1. Describe the problem.
2. Describe what actions you took prior the problem occurred.
3. The type of smart phone / tablet you use (iPhone, Android) and operating system version.
4. The type of computer you use (Mac, Windows) and operating system version..
5. The type of browser you use (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge).

We will work to help you resolve the issue. We will add extra time to your subscription for the missed time until the compatibility issue is resolved. If we cannot resolve the compatibility issue, you will receive a refund. See the TCMtests.com refund policy below.

What is TCMtests.com refund policy?

When you subscribe you actively agree with our terms of service regarding our refund policy. Your date of agreement for each subscription is recorded in our database.

Refunds are provided when the following are verified:

1. Our online tests DO NOT WORK on your computer.
2. AND you contact us within 24 hours of your initial purchase.

NOTE: Subscriptions with a delayed start date are ineligible for a refund.

When the boards change, does TCMtests.com change?

Yes. We continually update our questions based on NCCAOM™ and California State Board recommendations. We also develop new tests based on our subscriber feedback. TCMtests.com is designed as a systematic, comprehensive learning tool to help you master the knowledge and information to become the best Oriental Medicine practitioner possible. Whether or not you are taking a test, the information on our site is critical for accurate diagnosis and treatment of your patient.

Where do the TCMtests.com questions come from?

The TCMtests.com questions are written by our staff and are based on the recommended source books/references the NCCAOM™ and the CALE/California Boards published for exam preparation. We never accept or use questions given to us by subscribers who have just taken the NCCAOM™ or CALE Exams. We have never discussed question content with any writers of the NCCAOM™ or CALE examinations. To learn more, please view our Integrity Policy and Item Writing guidelines that delineate our origination and writing policies.

Can I share my subscription?

No. Your subscription is only for you. You can use TCMtests.com on any computer. You are not allowed to share your subscription. We have security measures in place to monitor simultaneous use. Violators will have their subscription terminated. No refund will be issued.

How do I change my email address?

Log in using your current email and password. Navigate to the My Account page and click on the change email button. Follow the prompts to edit your email and confirm the change.

How do I change my password?

Log in using your current email and password. Navigate to My Account and click on Change Password button. Follow the prompts to edit your password and confirm the change.

What do I do if I forget my password?

Go to the Log In page. Click the Retrieve Password link and enter your current email. You will receive an email with a temporary password. Follow the email instructions to reset your password.

How do I activate the DAY PASS benefits?

Visit the www.TCMtests.com website on the first Tuesday of the month. Sign up for an account through the Log In page and participate in the $5 Day Pass. After you login, you will be asked what areas you want to explore - National [NCCAOM™] and California [CALE] or College. You can choose a different focus (National, California, College) by logging out and logging back in.

How does the rebate and free extension work with FlexTime subscriptions?

NATIONAL (NCCAOM™)

If you PASS and have purchased 61 days to 91 days days of any of our NCCAOM™ modules (Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, Herbology) you are eligible for a rebate under the following terms.

1. For a 61+ days subscription, receive a $20 rebate for each mdoule.

To qualify the following must occur.

1. Photo-Email to office@tcmtests.com a copy of your individual pass letters for the NCCAOM™ Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, and/or Herbology exam.
2. Fill out our satisfaction survey which will be emailed to you after we receive your pass letter.
3. We will mail you via USPS a $20 ceck per module passed.
4. Institutional subscriptions are ineligible for rebates.

If you DID NOT PASS and purchased 61 days to 91 days of NCCAOM™ Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, and/or Herbology, board exam modules you are eligible for a FREE extension on that subscription.

To qualify the following must occur.

1. Photo-Email to office@tcmtests.com a copy of your FAIL letter for the NCCAOM™ Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, and/or Herbology exam.
2. Fill out our satisfaction survey which will be emailed to you after we receive your fail letter.
3. A free extension equivalent to the original days purchased of between 61 to 91 days is available per NCCAOM module purchased.
4. Institutional subscriptions are ineligible for free extensions.

CALIFORNIA (CALE)

If you PASS and purchased 31 days to 91 days of a CALE board exam subscription you are eligible for rebate under the following terms.

1. For a 31+ days subscription, receive a $20 rebate.
2. For a 61+ days subscription, receive a $50 rebate.
3. For a 91+ days subscription, receive a $80 rebate

To qualify the following must occur.

1. Photo-Email to office@tcmtests.com a copy of your pass letter for the CALE exam.
2. Fill out our satisfaction survey which will be emailed to you after we receive your pass letter.
3. We will mail you via USPS a check for $20, $50 or $80 depending on the amount of time originally purchased.
4. Institutional subscriptions are ineligible for rebates.

If you DID NOT PASS and purchased 31 days to 91 days of the CALE board exam subscription you are eligible for a FREE extension equivalant to the orginal time purchased.

To qualify the following must occur.

1. Photo-Email to office@tcmtests.com a copy of your FAIL letter for the CALE exam.
2. Fill out our satisfaction survey which will be emailed to you after we receive your fail letter.
3. A free extension equivalent to the original days purchased between 31 to 91 days is available per CALE subcription purchased.
4. Institutional subscriptions are ineligible for free extensions.

NOTE: If you purchase a bundle that includes both a National and a CALE subscription, you can only choose a rebate for National or CALE, not both. However, extensions apply to both National and CALE.

NOTE: After you notify us of your board results, you qualify for either a rebate or a free extension, but not both, per qualifying subscription. You have one year from the date of purchase to claim your rebate or free extension.

NOTE: If you purchased a single National [NCCAOM™] board module from 10/1/2024 to present you qualify for a $20 rebate on passing the exam or free two month extension if you did not pass.

NOTE: If you purchased a CALE subscription from 10/1/2024 to present, on passing the exam you qualify for a $20 rebate for a one month subscription, a $50 rebate with a 61+ days subscription, a $80 rebate with 91+ days subscription or a free CALE extension if you did not pass.

NOTE: If you purchased two consecutive months of a single National [NCCAOM™] board module from 3/6/2023 to 10/2/2023, you qualify for a $35 rebate on passing the exam or free two month extension if you did not pass.

NOTE: If you purchased a one month California [CALE] subscription from 3/6/2022 to 10/2/2023, you qualify for a $35 rebate on passing the exam or free one month extension if you did not pass.

NOTE: If you purchased a National [NCCAOM™] board modular subscription of two months or more at the same time from 1/1/2022 to 3/6/2023, the rebate is $25 per exam passed. A free extension equivalent to the original time purchased is available for the National [NCCAOM™] if you did not pass.

NOTE: If you purchased a California [CALE] subscription from 1/1/2022 to 3/6/2023, you qualify for a $25 rebate for the one-month subscription, a $50 rebate for the two-month subscription, and a $100 rebate for the three-month subscription. A free extension equivalent to the original time purchased is available for the California [CALE] subscription if you did not pass.

NOTE: From the date of purchase, you have 18 months to either claim a rebate or a free extension.

How do I add a Bookmark?

To add a bookmark, click on the grey bookmark icon on the test page. When it turns red, it is saved to your Bookmarks.

How do I remove a Bookmark?

To quickly remove a bookmark in a test, click on the red saved bookmark icon and it will reset to default state in grey.

To remove a bookmark on the Bookmark Page, click the red bookmark icon. The bookmark section will turn grey and remain on the page until you leave or refresh. This cannot be undone once you leave the page.

Why are there only 40 Bookmarks?

You are allowed 40 total bookmarks at any given time, to be added and removed as you see fit. This is done to protect TCM Tests intellectual property.

If you bookmark over 40 questions, oldest bookmarks will be automatically removed after logging out.

Can I use bookmarks with the $5 Day Pass?

Free Day Pass users with no paid subscription will not have access to bookmarks. Paid subscribers can see their past bookmarks, but cannot make new bookmarks while using the $5 Day Pass.