Things to Know When Choosing an Acupuncturist

The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA) regulates the practice of TCM and Acupuncture in the province, and operates under the Health Professional Act. A valid registration (professional license) is issued by the CTCMA and is required in order to practice TCM and Acupuncture in BC. All practitioners are required to complete an acupuncture safety course, which includes clean needle technique (including disposable sterile needles) and acupoint safety. Professional acupuncturists are designated by the title “Registered Acupuncturist” and professional Chinese herbalists are designated by the title “Registered TCM Practitioner” or “Registered Herbalist”.

Today, as acupuncture continues to be more popular, more medical practitioners are studying acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and employing it in their practice. However, the amount of training in both theory and practice can vary. Some examples are MD’s and Physiotherapists trained in IMS (50hours) or under the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute (285 hours) and Naturopathic physicians trained in basic TCM within their ND schooling (250 hours). A Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.) has 3 years (1,900 hours) of in-depth training in TCM medical theory, diagnosis, acupuncture point location and needling techniques. Registered TCM Practitioners (R.TCM.P.) have additional training with over 2,600 hours and Doctors of TCM (Dr.TCM) have even further training with over 3,250 hours of education and clinical training. By seeing a CTCMA Registered professional, you can be assured that they have the most comprehensive training of any medical profession and will be able to offer you an effective and holistic treatment plan.

All Practitioners at Heartwood Wellness are
registered professionals with the Ctcma