CITCM > FAQ CITCM

Q Why choose CITCM?

A CITCM offers a high standard and comprehensive curriculum to ensure you get the best education in the acupuncture and TCM field. The extensive clinical practice and comprehensive course programming is designed to give you the knowledge and the skills to be a confident practitioner. Superior preparation for both examinations for acupuncture and Doctor of TCM will achieve a high pass rate for CITCM students. We assist you to build a viable business plan that will be a foundation for your future practice.

CITCM offers a condensed program for Doctor of TCM (five years condensed into four years. With 20-24 hours of class or clinical time per week, it is in the middle range of class loads compared with many other university programs that may have 25-30 hours per week.

With 4007 hours for Doctor of TCM and 2900 hours for Acupuncture, our program exceeds the regulation in Canada (AB, BC) and meets the highest standard of North America: the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) in the United States.

Q What Healing Modalities Are Included in the Programs?

Q What makes CITCM unique from the other schools?

A Exclusive courses such as TCM History, Philosophy, Preventative Medicine, TCM Methodology, Western Medical Science and Botanic Pharmacology sets us apart. Our curriculum is designed to give students full competency in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and a full understanding of western medical science.

CITCM is committed to helping students be successful by including basic business management as part of the curriculum to assist students in setting up a successful practice after graduation. CITCM also provides assistance for licensing exam and business plan for future practice.

Involvement of a diverse health faculty from a wide variety of modalities and an advisory board composed of faculty, students, staff and members of the public ensure the continuing quality and uniqueness of the program.

CITCM has an extensive Chinese herbal pharmacy in a clinical setting with over 350 raw herbs, 250 individual powdered herbal concentrates and approximately 100 patent herbs. This pharmacy allows students important hands on experience with the herbs they are learning about in class as well as the opportunity to see how herbal prescriptions are prescribed and used in a clinical setting.

As students do their clinical practice, they will be able to see how individualized herbal prescriptions are used to treat patients. The students will also be able to practice making the prescriptions and later in their practicums write prescriptions for patients (under a TCM doctor's supervision).

This will allow students to have a more comprehensive practice, as they will be more able to effectively use herbal medicines for their own future patients.

Q How much are the tuition fees?

A$8700.00 per instructional year. The school offers 4007 hours over 4-year for Doctor of TCM and 2900 hours over 3-years for Acupuncture diploma.

Q How Do You Compare Tuition?

A CITCM offers superior programs at competitive tuition rates ($9.00 / hr for Acupuncture Diploma Program and $8.68 / hr for Doctor of TCM Program). Since hours and tuition amounts vary from school to school the only way to accurately compare tuition is per hour. The tuition range for the programs offered in Alberta is from $ 8.68 / hour to $12.00 / hour.

Q Can I get student loans?

A Student loan finacing is now availible. Applications are online at http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/studentsfinance/eap/main.asp

Q I have other courses at other schools. Can I transfer?

A Yes, we accept credit transfers. The transfers must be for equivalent courses at accredited institutes and will be accepted at the discretion of the director. There is a transfer fee per course. The student will receive a reduction in tuition fees for courses that are successfully transferred.

Q Can I carry a part time job while I attend full time school?

A CITCM's programs are scheduled in three semesters for every year with a two-week break between semesters and a three-week break in the summer. The classes are scheduled between 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Monday to Friday. Most years' classes will run either the morning or afternoon only allowing students the flexibility to hold a part time job.

Q Is Acupuncture and TCM Regulated?

A Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec are the three provinces in Canada where acupuncture is regulated and there is a mutual recognition for licensing between those three provinces. Acupuncture has been regulated in Alberta for over 12 years. TCM regulation has been approved by the health minister in Alberta; college and policies are under development. Both acupuncture and TCM are going to be regulated under Health Professions Act together with 27 other health professions including physicians and surgeons.

Q Is There Growth In The TCM Field?

A The Rise of TCM is not a short-term trend, but appears to have become a permanent fixture in Canadian Society, as demonstrated by the number of institutions dedicated to researching and teaching it's concepts. Many mainstream entities not only recognize the efficacy of some of the aspects of TCM but also accept acupuncture treatment coverage for injured claimants. These include worker's compensation boards in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Yukon and Ontario, many insurance companies (e.g Pacific Blue Cross and Maritime Life) and even Veterans Affairs Canada*.

* Source Canada Asia Commentary Dec 2003 issue

Q Are There Many Career Opportunities?

A The fact that medical professionals are in short supply together with the rising interest in TCM and acupuncture leaves many new opportunities for D TCM and acupuncturists to build a thriving practice. Working either as a self employed practitioner or sharing space with other practitioners (massage therapist, physiotherapist, and chiropractors to name a few), the opportunity for TCM practitioners and acupuncturists to build a prosperous practice has never been greater.

We have had patients from as far away as Montana, Vancouver, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Newfoundland. The majority of our out of town patients are referred to us from many of the southern Albertan towns surrounding Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.

Number of Certified Practitioners of TCM in Canada:

(Licensed practitioners of TCM as of the mid 2003)

Source: College of TCM Practitioners and Acupuncturists of BC, Alberta Acupuncture Committee, and the Ordre des Acupuncteurs du Quebec. Numbers for herbalist, DTCM and TCM practitioners are only available in BC. There are no numbers available in Alberta and Quebec as they are not yet regulated.

Q What is the Earning Potential?

A In Alberta, the average wage for experienced acupuncturists practicing fulltime ranges from $30,000 to over $60 000 per year * (2001 estimate)

*Source Alberta Learning and Information Service (ALIS)

Q What is the Market Potential?

A The Natural Healing occupational group is expected to grow 1.1 to 2.1 % each year from 2003 to 2008 in Alberta. Additional job openings will be created by employment turnover. Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next five to ten years.*

*Source Alberta Human Resources and Employment

Q How do I find out more?

Call us to book a tour.

CITCM holds complementary information sessions on a regular basis. Seating is limited so please RSVP to let us know to expect you. We look forward to meeting you then.