Assessment of applications

Registration

When you apply for registration in the division of acupuncturist and/or Chinese herbal medicine, we will assess your Chinese medicine qualifications against the Board approved threshold requirements described below. Your qualifications do not need to meet all the threshold requirements. Based on the outcome of the assessment of your qualifications you may be required to undertake the Board’s regulatory examination.

Note:

Overseas qualified applicants seeking registration in the division of Chinese herbal dispensers (CHD) are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Registered Chinese medicine practitioners do not need registration in the division of CHD to dispense herbal medicines to their own patients.

Board approved threshold requirements; acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine

Element	What we assess	Supporting documents required with your application for registration
1	The academic level of your qualification in acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine is comparable to, at a minimum, an Australian Bachelor Degree qualification.	A certified copy (and translation into English) of your degree/qualification certificate. A certified copy (and translation into English) of your academic transcript
2	If you are applying for a single division of registration, your qualification required three years or more of full-time study, or equivalent, in that division – either acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine. If you are applying for two divisions of registration, your qualification required a total of four years or more of full-time study, or equivalent, in those divisions.	As above
3	Your qualification addresses the following core areas/topics of study: For acupuncturists: Acupuncture needling techniques Anatomy Cell biology Chemistry and biochemistry Classical literature in Chinese medicine Clinical acupuncture studies Diagnostics of Chinese medicine History of Chinese medicine Infection control Introduction to human biosciences Meridians and acupuncture points Microbiology Moxibustion and cupping/other stimulation methods Neurophysiology of acupuncture Pathology Physiology Principles of Chinese medicine Professionalism and evidence-based practice Research methods Safe needling on critical points Substantial clinical placements with assessments of learning outcomes Western medicine diagnosis For Chinese herbal medicine practitioners: Anatomy Cell biology Chemistry and biochemistry Chinese herbal formulas Chinese materia medica-based herbal medicine studies Classical literature in Chinese medicine Clinical Chinese medicine theories, including ENT Gynaecology Internal medicine Musculoskeletal / traumatology Ophthalmology Paediatrics Diagnostics of Chinese medicine Endagered species and toxic herbal materials Herbal drug interactions Herbal medicine processing History of Chinese medicine Introduction to human biosciences Microbiology Pathology Pharmacology and herbal pharmacology Physiology Principles of Chinese medicine Professionalism and evidence-based practice Research methods Substantial clinical placement including assessment of learning outcomes Western medicine diagnosis	As above
4	Your qualification was recognised by a statutory registration/licensing body for practice as an acupuncturist and/or a Chinese herbal medicine practitioner in the country where you completed the program of study leading to qualification.	If applicable, evidence of statutory registration/license as an acupuncturist or Chinese herbal medicine practitioner in the country where you completed the program of study leading to qualification
5	At the time you were awarded your qualification (or completed the program of study leading to your qualification) in acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine the qualification/program was subject to quality assurance by a body external to the education institution and recognised or accredited by the external body, and the quality assurance was based on the following: published accreditation standards for Chinese medicine education published processes for reviewing programs/providers against the accreditation standards an assessment conducted by an individual or team with appropriate expertise in education and in Chinese medicine practice regular review of the program of study, such as annual reporting or cyclic re-accreditation	Nil
6	At the time you were awarded your qualification (or completed the program of study leading to your qualification) in acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine, the education institution was registered or authorised to deliver higher education.	Nil
7	If you are applying for general registration in the acupuncture division: As part of your studies you successfully completed a clinical assessment (or “demonstrated competence in the clinical setting”) in the following areas of acupuncture practice: professional practice in a legal and ethical framework professional communication and collaboration risk management mastering the use of the Pin Yin system of Romanisation knowledge of the biomedical and behavioural sciences enabling the practice of Chinese medicine within an inter-professional health care context, and safe and effective practise of acupuncture and other Chinese medicine manual therapies according to the relevant theories and principles of treatment in Chinese medicine for a range of common, as well as some specific diseases and conditions	Nil
7	If you are applying for general registration in the Chinese herbal medicine division: As part of your studies you successfully completed a clinical assessment (or ‘demonstrated competence in the clinical setting’) in the following areas of Chinese herbal medicine practice: professional practice in a legal and ethical framework professional communication and collaboration risk management mastering the use of the Pin Yin system of Romanisation knowledge of the biomedical and behavioural sciences enabling the practice of Chinese medicine within an inter-professional health care context, and safe and effective practise of Chinese herbal medicine according to the relevant theories and principles of treatment in Chinese medicine for a range of common, as well as some specific diseases and conditions	Nil