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18 Sep 2023
If you’re studying to become a Chinese medicine practitioner and are due to finish your course in the next three months, you can apply for registration now.
Getting your application in early helps avoid any delays and helps get you into the workforce sooner. If you apply before you finish your study, we can start assessing your application while we wait for your graduate results.
Before you can start working as a Chinese medicine practitioner you have to be registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia (the Board).
A new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement and Support team (the support team) was recently established and is staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Part of the support team’s role is to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants through the registration process, including new graduates.
It provides a one-on-one service ranging from providing helpful tips for navigating the registration process to regular phone contact, updates on relevant work being done in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme around cultural safety and advice on disclosures made on registration applications (for example, about impairments) that may require consideration by the Board.
The support team is committed to helping you get registered promptly so you can start making vital contributions to safe healthcare and to your communities. If, after reading the handy hints below, you would still like help with your application for registration, please email the support team at [email protected].
Applying for graduate registration video
You’ll find helpful advice, tips for avoiding common causes of delay and downloadable information flyers on the graduate applications page of the Ahpra website.
It's important that you provide correctly certified photo ID documents with your application – the wording is specific.
‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original and the photograph is a true likeness of the person presenting the document as sighted by me.’
To get it right the first time, download the guide ‘Certifying documents’ and take it with you to the authorised officer. For the full list of authorised officers see the guide.
In addition to a Justice of the Peace, most registered health practitioners, public servants, teachers, lecturers and members of the legal profession can certify photographic ID documents.
When you apply for registration, your application is carefully assessed against the Board’s requirements for registration, which includes meeting the following registration standards:
You also need to tell us about any criminal history and any health impairments that may affect your ability to practise.
You can also check out the Board’s video for graduating students which introduces you to the Board, outlines the professional standards expected of Chinese medicine practitioners.
We aim to finalise your application within two weeks of receiving your graduate results. This assumes you have submitted a complete application so be sure to read the handy hints above and watch our video.
Get your application right and submit it to us before you finish studying, so we can be ready to go when your results come in.
When you are registered, we will publish your name to the Register of practitioners, and you can start working as a Chinese medicine practitioner.
If you’re already registered in one division and want to register in another division, you must apply for registration using the relevant application for registration form available on the Forms page of the Board’s website.