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EDUCATION OF PRACTITIONERS

HOW DO I FIND A PRACTITIONER OF T.C.M.?

In November of 2006, the third reading of Bill 50 passed unanimously and the profession of Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture was finally regulated. This came about after more than twenty years of lobbying our government for regulation in order to protect the public.

The full effects of this regulation will not be apparent immediately, as it will take time for the “College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario” to completely establish the guidelines.

To the general public, this will mean that there will be a standard of education that all practitioners of this field of medicine will have to attain.  Regulated health professionals (registered nurses, chiropractors, physiotherapists, massage therapists, dentists) with additional education in acupuncture (not specified at this time, but generally 200 hours) will be allowed to practice acupuncture as an adjunct to their practice for minor conditions. These practitioners will be called “Acupuncturists”

Regulated health professionals with a 4 year additional education in Traditional Chinese Medicine (T.C.M.) including acupuncture will be qualified to be called
”Doctor of Chinese Medicine” and diagnose and treat with acupuncture and other methods of healing used in T.C.M., and to prescribe medicinal herbs.  

Anyone who is not a regulated health professional will not be able to practice acupuncture or other modalities included under the umbrella of T.C.M.

In time, more insurance companies will offer coverage for undergoing treatment with acupuncture. This will contribute to decreasing the cost of our health care by offering the public safe alternative methods of treatment.

Make sure you ask questions when searching out a practitioner. Until such time as the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine has outlined the specific details of regulation and practice, your questions are best answered by a 4 year graduate of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

To contact the C.M.A.A.C. (Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Association of Canada) regarding their member practitioners, call (519) 642 1970 or link with their web-site under “Links” at the end of this site.

MY EDUCATION:
The course I graduated from  was 4 years in length and course content included the history and philosophy of T.C.M., nutritional therapy, acupuncture (body, ear, scalp), single herbs & herbal prescriptions, internal medicine, gynecology, pediatric medicine, dermatology as well as a clinical internship and a research paper. Upon completion, successful completion of a written, oral and practical exam was required.