Humber’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (TCMP) advanced diploma program is the first and only publicly funded program of its kind offered at a postsecondary institution in Canada. This full-time intensive program is grounded in the TCMP skillset which has been approved by all provincial TCM regulators in Canada, and provides students with the skills and professional experience necessary to become a TCMP in Ontario. Through a combination of theoretical course-based instruction, as well as several clinical experiences, students will acquire the necessary understanding of Traditional Chinese and Western medicine practices. Moreover, graduates of the TCMP program will be trained to conduct a TCM diagnosis and develop appropriate treatment plans by utilizing their skills in acupuncture, herbal medicine, clinical practice management, professionalism and safety. This program is also committed to the promotion of evidence-based practice of TCM through scientific research.

The TCM profession is a newly regulated and growing health profession in Ontario and across Canada, and employment futures for graduates are positive. Service Canada’s outlook asserts “because of the implementation of certified training programs, and the trend toward alternatives to traditional medicine, the number of practitioners of natural healing (which include Chinese medical practitioners) should rise sharply in the next few years”. Graduates will gain the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to launch a career in professional practice, research and program management. Possible employment opportunities include work in private TCM and/or acupuncture clinics, and increasingly, conventional medical clinics, long-term care facilities, homes for seniors, rehabilitation clinics, community health clinics and acute care hospitals.