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 tools online 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?

We provide you with the most authentic experience of taking the California [CALE] or National [NCCAOM™] board 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. We don't provide computer-adaptive-testing (CAT) because we believe we have developed a better system for you to assess your knowledge base and build your confidence with our innovative DX (diagnostic) tools.

Taking our National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] DX (diagnostic) Mock Exams that are labeled by degrees of difficulty: Easy, Medium or Hard, provides you with the information, practice, and simulation that builds your confidence, all the while providing you with objective proof of your knowledge base compared to thousands of your peers.

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 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 taking TCMtests study questions, DX Quizzes, and DX Mock Exams repeatedly, 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 simultaneously practice both skills, while providing objective evidence of your knowledge base using our DX tools.

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, and Hard.

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, or Hard 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 2-3 months per module of National [NCCAOM™] and 4-8 months for California [CALE].
2. Subscribe to TCMtests.com Monthly with automatic renewal so you don't miss a day you want to study. You can qualify for a $35 rebate after passing the first time with one monthly California [CALE] or two consecutive monthly National [NCCAOM™] module subscriptions (See the FAQ - How does the rebate work?).
3. After you subscribe, go to your Dashboard, click on activate, go to DX Mock Exam, and take the DX Mock Exam MEDIUM (NCCAOM™ Module is 100 questions, 3 hours and CALE is 200 questions, 6 hours). View your results, identify the weak areas and the strong areas.
4. From the results of your DX Mock Exam, 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 monthly subscription!
5. In areas you did poorly, go to the study question section within the module and study.
6. In areas you did average, go to DX Quizzes in the content study section and take the Easy, the Medium, and then the Hard DX Quizzes to pinpoint and quantify your knowledge base.
7. In areas you did well, take on the DX Quizzes Hard to see how you do.
8. Don't forget to take DX Quizzes Easy because you could be surprised by the things you've forgotten!
9. 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 53 questions to be completed in 58 minutes. Take your self-created iTest and see your score.
10. One week before the scheduled board exam, take DX Mock Exam MEDIUM. If you score 75-85% then take DX Mock Exam HARD. The following day, take DX Mock Exam EASY. If you get a high score, you are ready! If you get a low score on DX MEDIUM or DX EASY, you should put off the exam and study more.

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

They are length of time subscriptions. These subscriptions are designed for you to initially take a DX Mock Exam to determine your strengths and weaknesses, then go to the review sections and learn from the study questions with commentaries. 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 National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] subscription includes:

1. DX Mock Exams - choose from three difficulty levels: EASY, MEDIUM, and HARD.
2. iTest - create your own tests from our questions.
3. DX Quizzes within each Module section - choose from three difficulty levels: EASY, MEDIUM, and HARD.
4. Study Questions section within each Module - for the most complete way to study all the material.

You can take as many DX Mock Exams, DX Quizzes, iTests, and study questions as you want with the weekly and monthly National [NCCAOM™] and California [CALE] subscriptions.

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.

What is the difference between the California [CALE] National [NCCAOM™], DX Mock Exam, and Dx Quizzes subscriptions?

The California [CALE] has its' own DX Mock Exams with uniquely California [CALE] content and questions, while the National [NCCAOM™] has its' own DX Mock Exams with its' unique content materials as outline on their website. The Dx Quizzes are available on both California [CALE] and National [NCCAOM™] monthly and weekly subscriptions. They access our databank of > 30,000 questions. The differences are

1. Time:
   • Monthly and Weekly California [CALE] or National [NCCAOM™] subscriptions have a monthly or weekly time frame.
   • DX tools/subscriptions are for 1 day only.
2. Content
   • Monthly and Weekly California [CALE] or National [NCCAOM™] have unlimited access, all study questions, all DX Quizzes, DX Mock Exam, and iTest during the subscription period.
   • DX tools/subscriptions are specific for each subscription.
     • DX California[CALE] is for CALE only and DX National [NCCAOM™] Mock Exam are specific for each module category;
     • DX Quizzes are quizzes arranged by module within the content sections of study questions.

What is the DX Mock Exam subscription?

This includes your choice DX Mock Exam from either the National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] subscription. It does not include the iTest or the DX Quizzes. The DX Mock Exam subscription gives you the opportunity to simulate taking an authentic board exam. You have a choice of three DX Mock Exams by difficulty level: Easy, Medium, or Hard. Like the real board exam, you have a fixed amount of time to complete the exam - 3 hours for National [NCCAOM™] and 6 hours for California [CALE]. After completion, you have 24 hours to review the answers.

What is the Dx Quizzes subscription?

This includes your choice of the Dx Quizzes for 24 hours. It does not include the DX Mock Exams, iTest, or the section study questions. There are three types of Dx Quizzes by difficulty level: EASY, MEDIUM, or HARD for each review section. For example, the review sections in the Acupuncture Module include Modalities, Meridians, Point Categories, Acupuncture Rx, etc. They are short quizzes in each review area that allow the subscriber to determine if, and how well, they have mastered the information/knowledge in that section. After the subscription ends, you do not have further access to the results.

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 Free Day Pass?

A Free Day Pass is defined as free use of TCMtests.com website on the first Tuesday of the month for either the National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] or College divisions 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.

What does HOLD, ACTIVATE, PAUSE my subscription mean?

Active:

any subscription that you are actively studying.

On Hold:

a weekly or monthly subscription on the Dashboard that has been purchased and is either scheduled to start on a date of your choice OR not yet scheduled.

• To schedule a start date, click on the calendar dropdown under Active Subscriptions, pick your date and confirm.
• To immediately and manually activate your On Hold subscription, click on Activate.

Pause:

a weekly or monthly National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] or subscription that you can manually pause on the dashboard for up to 1 year. Weekly and monthly subscriptions can be paused one time. The DX Mock Exam, Dx Quizzes, and DX One-Day Only subscriptions cannot be paused. College subscriptions can be paused and resumed indefinitely.

• To Pause, go to the Dashboard, click on Pause under Active Subscriptions, then click on the dates you wish to have a Pause in effect.
• To manually Resume before the end of your Pause, go to the Dashboard, click on Resume under Active Subscriptions, and begin studying.

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).
4. The type of computer you use (Mac, Windows).
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?

Refunds are provided when the following are verified:

• Our online tests DO NOT WORK on your computer
• 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 get Free stuff?

Click on Free in the tool bar and see all the free stuff we have for you! We give you a FREE DAY PASS on the first Tuesday of each month. We provide you with free access to ALL the TCMtests.com features on that day. You will be asked what areas you want to explore - National [NCCAOM™] and California [CALE] or College. If you subscribe within five days of the FREE DAY PASS (by midnight Sunday) and use our promo code, you will receive extra days added to your subscription. A weekly subscription will receive an additional two days, and a monthly subscription will receive an additional five days.

How do I activate the FREE 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 Free Day. An email will be sent to you with an individualized promotional code. Use this unique code in the promo box on the shopping cart when checking out before the following Sunday by midnight.

Monthly subscriptions receive 5 days FREE and weekly receive 2 Days FREE.

DX subscriptions do not qualify.

How do I save money on my TCMtests.com subscription?

Do these four things to save the most money!

The most cost-effective way to study, prepare for and pass the board exam is to buy the monthly subscription which gives you complete access to all aspects of the module and the tools to pass the first time.

Second, buy your monthly subscription within five days after receiving the FREE DAY PASS and you will qualify for an additional five free days on the site for your monthly subscription. Instead of a 30-day subscription it's now 35 days, five free extra days!

Third, click on auto-renew which gives you 5% off the monthly price starting on your second month and continuing until you stop.

Fourth, by purchasing 2 months by auto-renewal of a National [NCCAOM™] module or one month of a California [CALE] module and passing the first time, you will be eligible for a $35 rebate. See the How does the rebate and free extension work?

How does auto-renew work?

Auto-renew helps you purchase consecutive weekly and monthly subscriptions. After paying the online price for the first subscription, you can auto-renew with a 5% discount. To get 5% off, select auto-renew under Manage Subscriptions in the Dashboard after you login. Your credit card will be charged on the last day of your subscription. You can turn auto-renew on or off at any time in the dashboard.

How does the rebate and free extension work?

If you pass the first time you may be eligible for a $35 Rebate. To qualify the following must occur.

1. Documented two consecutive monthly subscriptions purchased of the same National module [NCCAOM™] or a one month California [CALE] subscription.
2. Pass the first time NCCAOM™ Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, and/or Herbology, or California [CALE] board exam.
3. Photo-Email to office@tcmtests.com a copy of your pass letter for the NCCAOM™ Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, and/or Herbology, or California [CALE] examination.
4. In your tcmtests.com account, verify that your listed address is your current postal mailing address.
5. Fill out our satisfaction survey sent to you.
6. We will mail you via USPS a $35 check.

If you do not pass the first time, you may be eligible for a Free Extension. To qualify the following must occur.

1. Documented two consecutive monthly subscriptions purchased of the same National module [NCCAOM™] or a one month California [CALE] subscription that were purchased after 3/7/23.
2. Fail the NCCAOM™ Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, and/or Herbology, or California [CALE] board exam.
3. Photo-Email to office@tcmtests.com a copy of your fail letter for the NCCAOM™ Acupuncture, Biomedicine, Foundations, and/or Herbology, or California [CALE] examination.
4. Fill out our satisfaction survey sent to you.
5. A free extension equivalent to the original time purchased is available for the National [NCCAOM™] or California [CALE] subscription if you did not pass.
6. A National [NCCAOM™] subscription will receive a free two-month extension on the corresponding failed board exam. A California [CALE] subscription will receive a free one-month extension.

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 National [NCCAOM™] board modular single subscription of two months or more 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: Institutional subscriptions are ineligible for rebates or free extensions.

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 DX Quizzes and DX Mock Exam Subscriptions?

In these subscriptions, you can create bookmarks according to the above policies, but you only have 24 hour access to those bookmarks once your subscription expires.

Can I used bookmarks with the Free 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 Free Day Pass.