New Students
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The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA) has a requirement that in addition to your Acupuncture Diploma, and prior to taking your Pan-Canadian Board Exams, that you have 2 years of Post-Secondary Education in either Liberal Arts or Sciences. This is mandatory, however there may be exceptions
Before you can start your clinical training and even needling in your classes, you must secure from the CTCMA Student Registration. This can be purchased from the CTCMA website. Note, you will also require a Criminal Record Check, Evidence of Good Character, Authorization to Study and a Passport-style picture.
Clinic hours are required for you to write your Pan-Canadian Board exam. Make sure you are aware of the requirements of your regulatory College. They will list the number of hours required. Do not rely on your educational institution to ensure you have enough clinic hours. Keep track of these carefully.
There is a lengthy process to registering for your board examination. It can take months and there is a deadline for registration as well as registration and exam fees, so make sure you are preparing ahead of time all you will need. Here is a list of requirements for registration:
If you decided to take the D.TCM (Doctor of TCM) or the TCMP (TCM Practitioner), this will include Acupuncture and Traditional Herbal Medicine. The Pan-Canadian exams have specific signups for this designation, so be sure you're registered for the right one! These are typically clearly defined on the College websites.
Time is ticking after you finish your program and are preparing for the examination. Exams are in either October or April of each year. You will have a certain amount of months to prepare everything you will need. Use a review program like ours OR others (TCM Review, AcuPro Academy) to prepare and stick to a schedule.
After completing your Board Exam and registering in a province, should you decide to move away, you can transfer your designation to the other province (assuming it is regulated). However, you will have to pay a transfer fee as well as purchase a yearly registration through the College in your new province.
Once you have passed your examination, the wait is not over. You will need to also pass the Jurisprudence and Safety exam. You will need to purchase Liability Insurance as well as (in some cases) WorkSafe coverage and a Business License. Then you are ready to get out there and start treating patients. Good luck!
After your exam it will be time for you to move on to your practice. For resources, support and real-life experience as an Acupuncturist, see my Practitioner Study pages (available through subscription) to help you on your journey. Also see the section for New Practitioners. Here we have lots of available information for free.