How to become a Registered Acupuncturist in Alberta

Did you know that you could learn Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) right here in Calgary?

Canadian Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CITCM) is an acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and massage college located in Calgary, Alberta. It was founded in 2004 with Western and Eastern integrated philosophy and since then it has graduated hundreds of qualified and highly trained Doctor of Acupuncture & TCM across Canada.

Find the Right Training/School

There are a few colleges in Calgary, and they offer different paths to registration. At CITCM the curriculum focuses on acupuncture but equally weighs Chinese medicine herbal education so that graduates may practice both acupuncture and herbology during their healing career. Chinese herbs enhance the healing process and are an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine.

Additionally, there is more emphasis being placed on Western science and medicine training required in the industry. As such there are also different levels of Western medical course taught at the different colleges depending on what is determined to be of benefit.

CITCM schedule is set in the morning 8-12 Monday to Friday which has allowed our students the rest of the day to work and balance their study and family time.

Choose Your Program

Some programs lead to a diploma, multiple diplomas, or at CITCM, we award double diplomas in Acupuncture and Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as an opportunity of a higher education for a bachelor’s degree in Acupuncture and Moxibustion.

At CITCM you will learn about 700 hours plus of Western medicine science to ensure that you are able to work in a multidisciplinary clinic and be fully trained to collaborate with the Western medicine professionals. CITCM is also the only acupuncture college in Canada that offers a bachelor’s degree through onsite internship collaboration with a renowned acupuncture university in China, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CDUTCM). In 2021, CITCM is officially a Canada Branch College of CDUTCM.

Write the Provincial Board Exams

This is the capstone of your educational program where you challenge written and practical exams. There are typically two writing opportunities throughout the year- one in April and one in October. There are additional costs to writing your exams and depending on your location, you may be required to travel to your exam (e.g. these exams are typically held in Edmonton for Alberta residents/participants).

Upon successful completion of these exams, you will become a registered Acupuncturist/Doctor of Acupuncture. If you graduate from CITCM, you will be among the company of other graduates with some of the highest Board Exam pass rates (over 90% pass rate on written exam in 2022)!

CITCM Acupuncture & DTCM program enrollment is once a year, in September. Email us to register today info@citcm.com or call us at (403) 520-5258.