Chin J Integr Med 2015 Mar;21(3):173-175
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FEATURE ARTICLE Traditional Chinese Medicine Education in Canada DU Huan-bin (杜桓斌) ABSTRACT The history of education and legislation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture in Canada is short. The first school of TCM opened its door to the general public in Canada in 1985 and the first legislation of acupuncture was introduced in Alberta, Canada in 1988. Currently, TCM and/or acupuncture have been regulated in five provinces in Canada. The legislation and regulation, as well as education of TCM and acupuncture vary among the five provinces in Canada. Opportunities and challenges facing TCM education exist simultaneously. Strategies are proposed to develop an international standard for TCM education in Canada, and possibly in other English speaking countries as well. KEY WORDS Canada, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, education, regulation
As the lightning speed communication around our planet is causing the world to become a global village, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been making its way into many countries around the globe. The Canadian people are beginning to accept TCM as part of their healthcare; this is causing a high demand for TCM doctors and TCM colleges in Canada. There are currently many challenges facing Canadian TCM colleges and their English-speaking students, but these challenges can be overcome by the Canadian TCM colleges and universities of TCM in China working together with the common purpose of providing Canadian students with an international standardized level of TCM education.
The Current Situation of TCM Education in Canada There are currently five provinces in Canada that regulate TCM healthcare and education. These provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Quebec. In Canada, Alberta is the first province to regulate acupuncture. Since 1988, acupuncture has been regulated under the Health Disciplines Act and Alberta Acupuncture Regulation. Regulation of acupuncture is critical to ensure public access to safe and effective treatments provided by registered acupuncturists. In addition, its establishment demonstrates government recognition of acupuncture as a valid health discipline. In Alberta, acupuncture was previously governed by the Acupuncture
Committee, Health Disciplines Board under Alberta Health and Wellness. As of January 1, 2011, College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAAA) was designated to govern the profession, with the mandate to protect public interest and promote the profession by setting high standards of practice, education, competence and ethical conduct. Currently, TCM colleges in Alberta are regulated under Alberta Acupuncture Regulation and governed by the CAAA to ensure a high standard of TCM education. They are also regulated by the ministry of Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education, a part of the Alberta Government responsible for all educational institutes in the province. This provides the TCM students in Alberta with financial support from the federal and provincial governments in the form of student loans and scholarships. The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA) is a self-regulating body whose purpose is to regulate TCM healthcare and education in British Columbia (BC). The TCM students in BC are able to apply for financial assistance from the federal and provincial governments as well.
©The Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014 Calgary College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Canada Tel: 1-403-287-8688, E-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.1007/s11655-014-1963-7
• 174 •
The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario (CTCMPAO) is the governing body established by the Government of Ontario under Traditional Chinese Medicine Act in 2006. At the moment, there is no financial support from the federal and provincial government to the students at TCM colleges in Ontario. The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Newfoundland and Labrador is the newly established governing body for TCM in Newfoundland and Labrador. Quebec also has its own regulatory body but all the education in Quebec is completed in French.
Opportunities of TCM Education in Canada There is a growing interest in TCM healthcare in Canada so naturally there is a higher need for native Canadian TCM doctors. A recent study found that 12.4% of Canadian people visited a natural health doctor at least once in the year that they were surveyed.(1) Acupuncture treatments are covered by many insurance companies as well as some provincial governments will cover acupuncture treatments for low-income people in BC. Canadians are finding they are not satisfied by the Canadian Healthcare System, which has very long wait time and crowded emergency rooms. The federal and provincial governments of Canada recognize that Canadians need increased access to natural healthcare practitioners and have chosen to address this by financially supporting students with student loans, and TCM colleges with accreditation, regulation and job opportunities. The history of English TCM education in Canada is very short, with the TCM College in Canada having opened in 1985. Since then, many TCM colleges have opened their doors to meet the demand of Canadian students who want to learn TCM. There is a huge opportunity to expand TCM education in Canada, as there is increasing interest in TCM and natural healthcare among the Canadian population and therefore, an increasing need for trained TCM doctors.
Challenges of TCM Education in Canada The first challenge that prevents increasing the quality of TCM education in Canada is that Canadian students are learning TCM in English as opposed to standard Chinese. In English the TCM terminology
Chin J Integr Med 2015 Mar;21(3):173-175
is inconsistent. One TCM term may mean several different things in different English speaking countries. For example, the term "Zhong Yao" in English may mean Chinese herbs, traditional Chinese herbs, Chinese materia medica, drugs, or Chinese drugs. There needs to be a standardization of English TCM terminology to make communication more efficient between TCM doctors and students and their colleagues in different countries. A second challenge that arises from learning TCM in English is the lack of high standard TCM textbooks in English. TCM specialists in the US and UK have composed excellent resources for fundamental subjects. However, there are few textbooks of sufficient quality available for many other clinical subjects. Canadian students need more high standard clinical textbooks in English if they are to attain the same level of TCM understanding as their Chinese counterparts. Considering the two previous points, if Canadian students would like to ensure that they are receiving the same standard of TCM understanding as Chinese students, then they would need to either study in China or learn from TCM professors who studied in China. As China is progressing financially, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find experienced TCM professors with English speaking skills willing to leave the country and teach in Canada. Also, without student loans from the Canadian government, and local part-time job opportunities, it is impossible for the majority of Canadian students to study in China. Another challenge to the standardization of TCM education to consider is the poor communication between TCM colleges in Canada and TCM universities in China. TCM colleges in Canada offer diploma programs while TCM universities in China offer Bachelor degree, Master degree, and PhD programs. Based on the regulation and policy of TCM education in Canada, Canadian TCM colleges cannot provide the same level of programs offered by the Chinese universities. Therefore, better communication between the two systems will help foster a greater degree of standardization of international TCM education. The final challenge to be discussed is the lack of English TCM research articles written in international
Chin J Integr Med 2015 Mar;21(3):173-175
journals. These articles are necessary to promote TCM understanding by English speaking doctors and students. Including English speaking TCM doctors and students in international research will help raise the standard of international TCM research and education and provide greater communication between TCM students and professors in China and Canada.
Proposed Strategies for the Future of TCM Education in Canada In order to promote TCM in Canada, and increase the potential for Canadian students to develop an equivalent understanding of TCM compared to Chinese students, efforts must be made to standardize international English TCM terminology and support must be given to publishing high standard TCM textbooks in English for the clinical TCM subjects.
• 175 •
articles must be published in international journals. The current situation of TCM in Canada indicates a very promising future for TCM practice and education. Due to the overwhelming interest in TCM by the Canadian people, there is huge potential for Canadian students to study TCM and become very successful TCM doctors. There are many challenges to increasing the quality of TCM education in Canada. These challenges arise due to culture and language differences. The challenges discussed above are not problems; they are opportunities to further promote similar levels of TCM education between China and Canada, thereby moving towards developing an international standard for TCM education.
REFERENCE 1.
Metcalfe A, Williams J, McChesney J, Patten SB, Jetté N. Use of complementary and Alternative Medicine by those
To ensure that Canadian students are receiving high quality teaching, incentives must be made to encourage the coordination between TCM colleges in Canada and TCM universities in China. International research projects, which include Canadian TCM doctors and students, must be funded and English research
with a chronic disease and the general population – results of a national population based survey. BMC Complement Altern Med 2010; 10:58. http://www.biomedcentral. com/1472-6882/10/58 Accessed November 4, 2010. (Received December 8, 2014) Edited by ZHANG Wen
• 173 •
FEATURE ARTICLE Traditional Chinese Medicine Education in Canada DU Huan-bin (杜桓斌) ABSTRACT The history of education and legislation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture in Canada is short. The first school of TCM opened its door to the general public in Canada in 1985 and the first legislation of acupuncture was introduced in Alberta, Canada in 1988. Currently, TCM and/or acupuncture have been regulated in five provinces in Canada. The legislation and regulation, as well as education of TCM and acupuncture vary among the five provinces in Canada. Opportunities and challenges facing TCM education exist simultaneously. Strategies are proposed to develop an international standard for TCM education in Canada, and possibly in other English speaking countries as well. KEY WORDS Canada, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, education, regulation
As the lightning speed communication around our planet is causing the world to become a global village, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been making its way into many countries around the globe. The Canadian people are beginning to accept TCM as part of their healthcare; this is causing a high demand for TCM doctors and TCM colleges in Canada. There are currently many challenges facing Canadian TCM colleges and their English-speaking students, but these challenges can be overcome by the Canadian TCM colleges and universities of TCM in China working together with the common purpose of providing Canadian students with an international standardized level of TCM education.
The Current Situation of TCM Education in Canada There are currently five provinces in Canada that regulate TCM healthcare and education. These provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Quebec. In Canada, Alberta is the first province to regulate acupuncture. Since 1988, acupuncture has been regulated under the Health Disciplines Act and Alberta Acupuncture Regulation. Regulation of acupuncture is critical to ensure public access to safe and effective treatments provided by registered acupuncturists. In addition, its establishment demonstrates government recognition of acupuncture as a valid health discipline. In Alberta, acupuncture was previously governed by the Acupuncture
Committee, Health Disciplines Board under Alberta Health and Wellness. As of January 1, 2011, College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAAA) was designated to govern the profession, with the mandate to protect public interest and promote the profession by setting high standards of practice, education, competence and ethical conduct. Currently, TCM colleges in Alberta are regulated under Alberta Acupuncture Regulation and governed by the CAAA to ensure a high standard of TCM education. They are also regulated by the ministry of Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education, a part of the Alberta Government responsible for all educational institutes in the province. This provides the TCM students in Alberta with financial support from the federal and provincial governments in the form of student loans and scholarships. The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA) is a self-regulating body whose purpose is to regulate TCM healthcare and education in British Columbia (BC). The TCM students in BC are able to apply for financial assistance from the federal and provincial governments as well.
©The Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014 Calgary College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Canada Tel: 1-403-287-8688, E-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.1007/s11655-014-1963-7
• 174 •
The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario (CTCMPAO) is the governing body established by the Government of Ontario under Traditional Chinese Medicine Act in 2006. At the moment, there is no financial support from the federal and provincial government to the students at TCM colleges in Ontario. The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Newfoundland and Labrador is the newly established governing body for TCM in Newfoundland and Labrador. Quebec also has its own regulatory body but all the education in Quebec is completed in French.
Opportunities of TCM Education in Canada There is a growing interest in TCM healthcare in Canada so naturally there is a higher need for native Canadian TCM doctors. A recent study found that 12.4% of Canadian people visited a natural health doctor at least once in the year that they were surveyed.(1) Acupuncture treatments are covered by many insurance companies as well as some provincial governments will cover acupuncture treatments for low-income people in BC. Canadians are finding they are not satisfied by the Canadian Healthcare System, which has very long wait time and crowded emergency rooms. The federal and provincial governments of Canada recognize that Canadians need increased access to natural healthcare practitioners and have chosen to address this by financially supporting students with student loans, and TCM colleges with accreditation, regulation and job opportunities. The history of English TCM education in Canada is very short, with the TCM College in Canada having opened in 1985. Since then, many TCM colleges have opened their doors to meet the demand of Canadian students who want to learn TCM. There is a huge opportunity to expand TCM education in Canada, as there is increasing interest in TCM and natural healthcare among the Canadian population and therefore, an increasing need for trained TCM doctors.
Challenges of TCM Education in Canada The first challenge that prevents increasing the quality of TCM education in Canada is that Canadian students are learning TCM in English as opposed to standard Chinese. In English the TCM terminology
Chin J Integr Med 2015 Mar;21(3):173-175
is inconsistent. One TCM term may mean several different things in different English speaking countries. For example, the term "Zhong Yao" in English may mean Chinese herbs, traditional Chinese herbs, Chinese materia medica, drugs, or Chinese drugs. There needs to be a standardization of English TCM terminology to make communication more efficient between TCM doctors and students and their colleagues in different countries. A second challenge that arises from learning TCM in English is the lack of high standard TCM textbooks in English. TCM specialists in the US and UK have composed excellent resources for fundamental subjects. However, there are few textbooks of sufficient quality available for many other clinical subjects. Canadian students need more high standard clinical textbooks in English if they are to attain the same level of TCM understanding as their Chinese counterparts. Considering the two previous points, if Canadian students would like to ensure that they are receiving the same standard of TCM understanding as Chinese students, then they would need to either study in China or learn from TCM professors who studied in China. As China is progressing financially, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find experienced TCM professors with English speaking skills willing to leave the country and teach in Canada. Also, without student loans from the Canadian government, and local part-time job opportunities, it is impossible for the majority of Canadian students to study in China. Another challenge to the standardization of TCM education to consider is the poor communication between TCM colleges in Canada and TCM universities in China. TCM colleges in Canada offer diploma programs while TCM universities in China offer Bachelor degree, Master degree, and PhD programs. Based on the regulation and policy of TCM education in Canada, Canadian TCM colleges cannot provide the same level of programs offered by the Chinese universities. Therefore, better communication between the two systems will help foster a greater degree of standardization of international TCM education. The final challenge to be discussed is the lack of English TCM research articles written in international
Chin J Integr Med 2015 Mar;21(3):173-175
journals. These articles are necessary to promote TCM understanding by English speaking doctors and students. Including English speaking TCM doctors and students in international research will help raise the standard of international TCM research and education and provide greater communication between TCM students and professors in China and Canada.
Proposed Strategies for the Future of TCM Education in Canada In order to promote TCM in Canada, and increase the potential for Canadian students to develop an equivalent understanding of TCM compared to Chinese students, efforts must be made to standardize international English TCM terminology and support must be given to publishing high standard TCM textbooks in English for the clinical TCM subjects.
• 175 •
articles must be published in international journals. The current situation of TCM in Canada indicates a very promising future for TCM practice and education. Due to the overwhelming interest in TCM by the Canadian people, there is huge potential for Canadian students to study TCM and become very successful TCM doctors. There are many challenges to increasing the quality of TCM education in Canada. These challenges arise due to culture and language differences. The challenges discussed above are not problems; they are opportunities to further promote similar levels of TCM education between China and Canada, thereby moving towards developing an international standard for TCM education.
REFERENCE 1.
Metcalfe A, Williams J, McChesney J, Patten SB, Jetté N. Use of complementary and Alternative Medicine by those
To ensure that Canadian students are receiving high quality teaching, incentives must be made to encourage the coordination between TCM colleges in Canada and TCM universities in China. International research projects, which include Canadian TCM doctors and students, must be funded and English research
with a chronic disease and the general population – results of a national population based survey. BMC Complement Altern Med 2010; 10:58. http://www.biomedcentral. com/1472-6882/10/58 Accessed November 4, 2010. (Received December 8, 2014) Edited by ZHANG Wen
