Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
| Study location | Canada, Ontario, Toronto |
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| Type | Advanced Diploma, College |
| Nominal duration | 3 years, includes 6 clinical placements |
| Study language | English |
| Course code | TC311 |
| Tuition fee | CA$18,022 per year The fees are for the 2024–2025 academic year and include tuition (CA$15,994), health insurance and ancillary charges. The fees displayed are estimates only for two semesters and are subject to change. |
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| Registration fee | CA$375 one-time The registration fee includes the non-refundable application fee (CA$75) and the refundable deposit fee (CA$300). Please REVIEW the EdviseCanada`s fee policy. |
| Entry qualification | High School / Secondary Education (or higher) To be eligible for admission, you must possess a high school diploma including these required courses (or equivalents):
The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. |
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| Language requirements | English For direct admission, if English is not your first language, OR you did not complete a minimum of two years of full-time study at the secondary school level in an English language school system in a country where English is considered the primary language or the primary language of instruction and evaluation is English, with acceptable grades in all English courses, you must provide one of the English language proficiency tests below:
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Overview
The Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner advanced diploma program is the first and only publicly funded program of its kind offered at a post-secondary institution in Canada. This intensive program is grounded in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner skillset approved by all provincial TCM regulators in Canada. It provides students with the skills and professional experience necessary to become a TCM Practitioner in Ontario.
Through a combination of theoretical course-based instruction, as well as several clinical placements, you will gain a necessary understanding of Traditional Chinese and Western medicine practices. Moreover, graduates of the program will be trained to conduct a TCM diagnosis and develop appropriate treatment plans by utilizing their skills in acupuncture, herbal medicine, clinical practice management, professionalism and safety.
This program is also committed to promoting the evidence-informed practice of TCM through scientific research.
Work Placement
There are six mandatory clinical placements that provide students with progressive, professional practice experience in diagnosing, preparing treatment plans, inter-professional collaboration and safe practices. Clinical placements occur throughout the year at community TCM and multi-discipline clinics within the Greater Toronto Area, as well as at our on-site partner clinic, the Tzu Chi Clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The clinical component of the program offers more than 700 hours of direct patient contact, which exceeds the regulatory body minimum requirement of 500 hours. Examples of inter-professional clinical settings include working with naturopathic doctors, registered dieticians, chiropractors, registered massage therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
Aside from the traditional examples of TCM and acupuncture placements such as clinics, others include servicing patients in residential addiction facilities and organizations offering services to people with HIV.
Career opportunities
The TCM profession is a newly regulated and growing health profession in Ontario and across Canada, and employment futures for graduates are positive. There is a nationwide trend toward alternatives to traditional medicine, and consequently, the number of general public members seeking practitioners of natural healing (including Chinese medical practitioners) is increasing.
Graduates will gain the knowledge, skills and judgment necessary to launch a career in professional practice, research and practice management. Possible employment opportunities include work in private TCM and multi-discipline health clinics, and increasingly, conventional medical clinics, long-term care facilities, homes for seniors, rehabilitation clinics, community health clinics and acute care hospitals.
Professional Accreditations & Recognition
The Tzu Chi Clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine
The Humber community benefits from having The Tzu Chi Clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine on campus. Students in the TCM program are fortunate to complete many of their clinical hours in this operating clinic. Applying their theoretical knowledge, students are supervised by professional, registered practitioners; proven leaders in the field of TCM Ontario. Students will progress from guided to independent application of TCM skills, including:
- gathering a medical history,
- performing tongue and pulse exam,
- determining a TCM diagnosis and treatment plan,
- prescribing herbal formulas and executing acupuncture procedures.
Students will also complete hours within the herbal dispensary, compounding, processing and dispensing herbal formulas.
College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario
This program includes the entry-to-practice competencies approved by the provincial regulators of TCM Practitioners – the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario – CTCMPAO.
Additional requirements and/or costs may apply.
Note: The requirements for licensure are determined by the granting body, which is independent from Humber College. Students are encouraged to obtain the specific requirements directly from the granting body before enrolling.