Entry-Level Occupational Competencies for TCM

The Entry-level Occupational Competencies for the Practice of TCM in Canada 2010 (“the Competencies”) were developed by the Canadian Alliance of Regulatory Bodies for Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists (CARB-TCMPA) over the period 2008-2010. CARB-TCMPA is the national organization of provincial and territorial regulatory bodies that govern and monitor the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners, Acupuncturists and/or Herbalists.

The Competencies are intended to identify the job tasks in which registrants holding the reserved titles of Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.), Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbalist (R.TCM.H.) and Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (R.TCM.P.) at entry-level should be proficient in order to provide safe, effective and ethical practice.

The Table of Specifications (Blueprint) for the Pan-Canadian examinations is based on the Competencies.

The curriculum of TCM schools in British Columbia listed in Schedule H of the Bylaws are based on the Competencies and on Schedule E of the Bylaws.

CARB-TCMPA gratefully acknowledges the Government of Canada, under the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, for funding the Competencies project in partnership with British Columbia’s Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development.

In 2018, the Canadian Alliance of Regulatory Bodies for Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists (CARB-TCMPA) reviewed and updated the Entry-level Occupational Competencies for the practice of TCM in Canada.  This competency profile came into effect as of February 1, 2020.