Questions for:

1. How to choose the right school/program?
2. Why should I choose TSTCM?
3. What will happen when acupuncture/TCM is regulated in Ontario? Which school/program will pass standards?
4. Will apprenticeship, distance learning or correspondence course and home study hours be counted for professional licensing when acupuncture/TCM is regulated?
5. What is the class schedule like?
6. How can I learn more about the Toronto School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the programs?

Important factors to consider when choosing a school/program include:

• The vision and history of the school, and its dedication to the students
• Legislation requirements in the area you intent to practice
• The breadth of programs and the depth of curriculum
• The qualification of the faculty
• The education quality of the school eg. whether the students / graduates are eligible for sitting in the licensing exam and whether they pass the exam.
• The flexibility of the class schedule
• The employability and the achievements of the graduates
• The credential of the school president

But how to gather these information?

• Check the school website for school & program information
• Search internet which may help you to learn the credential of the school from the public opinions and medium reports
• Visit the website of the regulatory bodies to verify the credential of the school. (for U.S: www.nccaom.org; for British Columbia: www.ctcma.bc.ca)
• Take a field trip and/or sit in the class
• Talk to the current students and/or graduates, if possible

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2. Why should I choose TSTCM?
The reason is so simple! Because TSTCM is here to provide you excellent TCM education to pave your path to future success in the profession. We achieve this by:

Our vision and dedication
The TSTCM is dedicated to excellence in education and treatment for the overall health benefit of the general public, and for the recognition and development of the profession of TCM practitioner in Canada under the leadership of Dr. Mary Xiumei Wu.

Our distinguished programs and comprehensive curriculum
We provide the most comprehensive academic programs in Canada. Our Diploma programs offer in-depth theoretical knowledge and intensive clinical training that ensure the competency and confidence needed to attain professional licensing and a successful and enjoyable career in TCM. Our continuing education department provides opportunities for our students' to further understand the philosophy beyond TCM, and opens the door to more advanced skills for life-long professional development and personal growth.

Our outstanding faculty and high quality of teaching
TSTCM provides its students with superior quality teaching through well-designed curriculum delivered by exceptional and dedicated instructors. Our faculty is strictly selected for their professional education, clinical and teaching experience and their dedication to the education and development of TCM. Evidences of our teaching quality include:

• School programs are recognized by all TCMA regulatory bodies in U.S. and Canada
• A 100% passing rate for NCCAOM and licensing exams in other Canadian provinces
  All of our graduates of the first class of the Doctor of TCM diploma program have passed intensive exams and are now certified for both acupuncture and Chinese Herbology by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). This is the first Canadian trained TCM class to ever achieve this feat and attain such a high level of professional recognition
• High employability of our graduating students and graduates

Maximizing your return of your education investment
In terms of increasing demands of TCMA practitioners and the high employability of our graduates, you can maximize value of your education investment at TSTCM in comparison with other health care related professional education. When doing your cost comparison, you may check:

• Total hours of education you actually receive and the total amount of the cost;
• The time required to complete the program; and
• The hourly rate (one should not pay for home study or self-study).

Tuition fees for medical schools, dental schools, colleges of naturopath and chiropractors range between $14,000 to $18,000 a year in Canada for 8 months of study. It will cost a total of $56,000 to $72,000 to complete the entire program.

Many TCM schools with similar educational quality charge about $7000 to $9000 for 600 to 700 hours of teaching per year. It takes five years to complete the Doctor of TCM diploma program and will cost between $35,000 to $45,000 for approximately 3250 hours of training. The tuition for the acupuncture program at another institute is over $9000 per year for three years, totaling $27,000 for acupuncture only.

At TSTCM, even the most comprehensive 4-years intensive Doctor of TCM program cost only $45,000 for 4220 hours training. You save $13,500, approximately 30%, of your education.

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3. What will happen when acupuncture/TCM is regulated in Ontario? Which school/program will pass standards?
The educational standard for acupuncture/TCM in Ontario is presently under review by the Provincial Government. However, there are established standards for professional licensing/certifying in other jurisdictions such as the United States and British Columbia in Canada, which suggests a trend, involving establishment of such regulations soon in Ontario.
In the USA, over 30 states accept the NCCAOM certification. More information is available at www.nccaom.org.

In BC, both acupuncture and TCM are regulated by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA). For more information, please check www.ctcma.bc.ca.

The diploma programs offered at TSTCM exceed the standards of both NCCAOM and CTCMA. Below is a comparison:

Programs Minimum Educational Requirements

Jurisdictions	TSTCM		Canada (BC)		USA (NCCAOM)
Hours of training	Total	Clinic	Total	Clinic	Total	Clinic
Doctor of TCM Practitioner of TCM Acupuncture Herbal Medicine Tuina Massage	4220 2880 2260 2260 2260	1340 920 680 680 560	3250 2600 1900 1900 NA	1050 650 450 450 NA	4000 2625 1905 2175 500	1200 870 660 660 70
More information	www.tstcm.com		www.ctcma.bc.ca		www.nccaom.org

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4. Will apprenticeship, distance learning or correspondence course and home study hours be counted for professional licensing when acupuncture/TCM is regulated?

The above mentioned trainings are not considered eligible for the NCCAOM examinations.

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5. What is the schedule like?

Considering the fact that some of our students are working adults, attending classes takes time and isn't always easy. Our course schedules are tailored to the needs of our students and results in greater convenience for those who may have otherwise-inflexible timelines. We offer day classes for full time students, evening and weekend classes for working students.

Students at TSTCM have many options to choose from:

• Full time intensive programs will save time and reduce costs for those with more flexible schedules and financial resources
• Varieties of modularized programs available to meet specific needs, for those with special interests and less flexible schedules
• Day, evening and weekend classes offered to ensure that students can take courses which fit their schedules

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6. How can I learn more about the Toronto School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the programs? More information can be attained by:

1. Attending the Open House: please check the dates and call to register. Be a student at TSTCM for a day, or sit in a class, or book a complimentary treatment at the teaching clinic. To make this happen, just contact us at 416-782-9682, and necessary arrangements will be made. For personal information and advice, book an appointment with our administration staff. Contact our students or graduates.
2. Email us: info@tstcm.com.

You will find that your experience at TSTCM and your exposure to the school, the programs, your contact with our instructors and students be very helpful in your decision making process.

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