TCM PRACTITIONER PROGRAM (4 YEARS) consists of the study of 3-year acupuncture program and the 4th year study as the following (2700 hours and 153 credits in total). Finishing this program, you are eligible to challenge the licensing examination of TCM practitioner so that you could practice both acupuncture and herbal therapies in BC.
At Royal Pacific Institute, we offer an authentic traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) education. Our teachers provide high quality instruction with many years of experience in working as a doctor in clinic and hospital and teaching in TCM university or college in China and Canada.
Royal Pacific Institute/Oshio College has 3 regular intake sessions per year; with January, May and September starting times. With our small size classes, we are able to offer quality education with optimal opportunity for one on one instruction and interaction. This also gives students more opportunities to work directly with patients in the student clinic.
Admission Requirements:
Royal Pacific Institute/Oshio College accepts applications from all persons who have complete a high school education or mature student status.
Additional information relating to admission:
According to current policy of CTCMA, if you do not have a 2-year university level education by the time you apply for the national acupuncture examination held in BC but you want to practice acupuncture in BC after graduating from a TCM school, you should take the national acupuncture examination in Alberta, Ontario or Quebec and get an acupuncture license in Alberta, Ontario or Quebec.
Academic Year
We enroll students three times a year, January, May and September. One academic year is 30 weeks. It usually starts on the first week of January, May, or September. New students are urged to register as early as possible. Late registration is accepted on special approval of the Principal only, depending on the space available. There is a two-week Christmas break and a one-week clinical assessment week in February.
Earlier Graduation
Earlier Graduation Is Available: You can finish the 4-year program within 3 calendar years If You Do Not Take Summer Break.
Tuition: One Academic year consists of approximately 22 instructional hours per week for 30 weeks. A credit hour is given for every 15 hours of classroom instruction, or for 30 hours of supervised clinical practice. Tuition is $8,400 for one academic year, or $230 per one lecture credit and $320 per one clinical credit if you take part-time study. Tuition will not increase after enrolment.
Students should make allowance for approximately $500 in book costs, workshops and student registration fees with the CTCMA per academic year. These costs are not included in the tuition fee.
Financial Assistance : Applicants who are residents of Canada may apply to the Student Assistance Program. Applicants residing in British Columbia can apply for your student loan online at www.bcsap.bc.ca or you call them to have an application form mailed out to you at 1-800-561-1818. You may also get the necessary information from their website at http://www.gov.bc.ca/aved. Applicants residing outside British Columbia should contact the student loans office in their region.
Transfer of credits from another recognized school of TCM may be accepted, but the number of transferred credits of one academic year should not exceed the number of credits (hours) normally earned by a student at the College in one academic year, and the number of transferred credits of the acupuncture program should not exceed the credits (hours) normally earned by a student at the College in two academic years. The above rules and regulations are subject to review from time to time in order to maintain and upgrade the standards of Royal Pacific Institute/Oshio College of Acupuncture and Herbology.
Foreign student tuition will be the same as local residents. Students are required to be proficient in written and spoken English. Students from non-English speaking countries may be required to achieve the minimum TOEFL score of (500 or higher) or equivalent for English proficiency.
Dr. Ganglin Yin, Dr. TCM
Dr. Yin has a MD in Traditional Chinese Medicine (HUTCM) and a Masters degree in TCM from Hunan University of China. From 1985 to 1992, Dr. Yin was an Associate Professor of Acupuncture at HUTCM. From 1993 to 1996, he was the chief doctor in the Chinese Acupuncture-Massage Specialist Group and clinic of HUTCM in Russia. From 1997 to 1999, he was a professor and the academic dean of International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Victoria, Canada. In 2000, he was a professor and the faculty dean of Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Dr. Yin has published 4 books on acupuncture and herbology. Titles include: Advanced Modern Chinese Acupuncture Therapy – A Practical Handbook for Intermediate and Advanced Study. Dr. Yin is a Registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (R.D.TCM) in the province of BC, Canada and a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.). Dr. Yin also maintains an Acupuncture and Herbology clinical practice at Oshio College.
Hu, Zhiguang, M.D. (China), Associate Professor of Medicine (China), R.Ac., Vice Principal, Clinical Supervisor
Dr. Hu received her MD at Nanhua University, Hengyang, China in 1983. She practiced as a physician and neurologist in Hunan Province Hospital from 1983 to 1989. From 1990 to 2001, she worked as a chief physician and acupuncturist at Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (HUTCM). In 1995 to 1996 she worked in the Chinese Acupuncture-Massage Specialist Group and clinic of HUTCM in Russia, and treated thousands of patients using acupuncture. She was promoted to an Associate Professor of Medicine in 2000. Dr. Hu is a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.) of BC, Canada. Dr. Hu also operates her Acupuncture and Herbology clinical practice at Oshio College.
Dr. Jin Tripp (Jin Zhao), MD (China), DTCM, RTCMP
Dr. Jin Tripp is a registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner with 11 years of training in Western and Traditional Medicine areas and 30 years’ experience working in Canada and China. After graduation from Jin Zhou Medical University
(China), Dr. Tripp worked and taught in China for over 20 years. During that time, she became a chief physician, and this gave her extensive medical experience. While in Canada, Dr. Tripp upgraded her skills by studying Traditional Chinese Medicine in English, and earned the TCMP registration in BC. She has also worked as an instructor and clinic supervisor in Victoria since 2008.
Zhang, Jing, Ph.D., Dr. of TCM, Professor:
Dr. Zhang completed a Bachelor of Medicine degree (specializing in acupuncture and moxibustion), a Master of Medicine degree (specializing in integrating TCM and modern medicine) and a PhD in Internal Medicine of TCM at the Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Province, China. Dr. Zhang has extensive experience in teaching, research and clinical practice in the field of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Rehabilitation as well as the integration of TCM and Western Medicine. From 1999 until 2008, Dr. Zhang worked as a TCM doctor, acupuncturist and teacher at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM.
Yu-Lin Chiang, R.TCMP, Instructor
A graduate of Oshio College with a 4-year TCMP program diploma, Yu-Lin has a great deal of knowledge and experience in supervising acupuncture and herbal clinical practice and teaching acupuncture and herbal courses.
Li, Li Jie, B.A., R.TCM, Instructor
A graduate of Oshio College with a 4-year TCMP program diploma, Li Jie Li is an excellent teacher.
Erin Alexander, R.Ac., Clinical Supervisor, Registrar
Dr. Kai Chen, PhD/DTCM (China), DTCM, Instructor
Dr. Chen earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the Beijing College of TCM. He then completed his Masters of Medicine at the China Academy of TCM and ultimately, after 11 years of total TCM training, earned his PhD. Dr. Chen has been practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine in China and Canada for more than 27 years and has been teaching in Canada for 14 years and at Oshio College since 2001. He has a great sense of humor and is well loved by the students.
Dr. Kewu (Kevin) Hu, PhD/DTCM (China), RTCMP, instructor
Dr. Kevin Hu has been devoted to health care career for more than 30 years. He has practiced and taught Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and western medicine since 1986 in China and has been teaching in Canada since 2004. He was a physician of integrative Chinese and Western Medicine in Changhang General Hospital. He received his PhD in Medicine later from Guangzhou University of TCM, where he served as professor. In the past 30 years, he successfully treated thousands of patients in acute or chronic, simple or complicated conditions like heart failure, amenorrhea, and chronic pain syndromes. He currently runs his busy BayVan Clinic in Victoria.
Dr. Ning Zhang, PhD, Instructor, Administrator
Dr. Binzhun Guan, MD (China), RTCMP, Instructor
Edward McClauskey, RTCMP, Instructor
Marc-Alexandre Mestres, graduated from the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner program in 2014
Jie Li, graduated from the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner program in 2014
Yu-lin Chiang, graduated from the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner program in 2011
Wael Fawzi, graduated from the Acupuncture program in 2013
Letter from James Saper, Class of 2002
I transferred to Oshio college in my second year, looking for smaller class
sizes and an administration that put student’s interests at the forefront of
their decisions. I was happy to gain this and much more at Oshio. I had the
opportunity to learn from faculty with strong academic credentials and
extensive clinical knowledge. The small class size meant that individualized
attention was given to students and that the school had a supporting
learning environment.
My year was the first to write the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
board exams. Being the first time this exam was offered, there was a great
deal of uncertainty as to what to expect. Under the guidance of Dr. Yin and
the Oshio faculty, my year qualified for this exam and I successfully passed
it on my first attempt.
In addition, drawing on the new knowledge and skills given to me by the
Oshio faculty, I had the confidence to start up my own clinic. The
instructors were able to translate theory and book learning into clinically
relevant information and prepare me for the ‘real world’. I will remember
Dr. Yin’s integrity, depth of knowledge and encouragement as an integral
part of my learning experience.
James Saper B.E.S. R.TCM.P.
328 Woolwich Street
Office 1A
Guelph, ON N1H 3W5
(519) 760-6718
acupuncture@gto.net
Letter from Adam Fulmore, R.Ac. Class of 2002
My experience studying at Oshio College has been a great one! I feel that the professors are not only knowledgeable and skilled, but kind and caring in their practice and teachings. They promote an excellent learning environment by giving and sharing their clinical experiences, being excellent role models and making the TCM classic material understandable. The class sizes for lecture and student clinic are small, hence giving lots of one on one time with Doctors and Superisors. I know I will feel very confident to practice TCM and pass the CTCMA liscensing exam after my time is finished at Oshio. Thank you Oshio ~ Jill MacLeod, 2nd year studentOshio College has been a wonderful place for me to learn and I am grateful for all it has to offer. I have great teachers with whom I can develop close relationships because of small class sizes. Our closely knit student community fosters support rather than competition. Dr. Yin and Dr. Hu, who run the school, are dedicated to their work and carefully look after the students’ best interests. I am delighted to have found a school with such a cooperative atmosphere and high quality of education.
Letter from Stephen Simonis, Class of 2003
Dear Dr. Yin,
Just a short note thanking you and Oshio College for the excellent educational opportunity in TCM. I did not realize how much I learned at Oshio College until I opened my practise. It is because of Oshio College and the great teachers that I am able to treat my patients with confidence. Many of my patients believe that I have been practising for years. I have had comments from patients who have been seeing acupuncturists for most of their life; “that I am the most skillful acupuncturist they have seen”. If you can believe that. I am also thankful for Oshio Colleges’ teachings, because as your student I was able to challenge the B.C. Licensing Examination after only 2 1/2 years of TCM schooling and pass the very difficult exam. This allowed me to begin practising immediately upon graduating. I appreciate the dedication and encouragement from all of the staff at Oshio College. Thank you very much for providing me with the knowledge and skills, a great start in my new career.
Stephen Simonis, B.A. R.Ac.
102-2227 Sooke Road, Victoria, BC V9B 1W8
(250) 391-8761 ssimonis@shaw.ca
Lauren Radomsky Class of 2004
Oshio College has been a wonderful place for me to learn and I am grateful for all it has to offer. I have great teachers with whom I can develop close relationships because of small class sizes. Our closely knit student community fosters support rather than competition. Dr. Yin and Dr. Hu, who run the school, are dedicated to their work and carefully look after the students’ best interests. I am delighted to have found a school with such a cooperative atmosphere and high quality of education.
Academic year
One academic year consists of 8 months, 2 terms, or 30 weeks. We enroll students three times a year, January, May and September. It usually starts on the first week of January, May, or September. New students are urged to register as early as possible. Late registration is accepted on special approval of the Principal only, depending on the space available. There is a two-week Christmas break and a one-week Spring break. Full-time students attend twenty or more hours of classes per week, which includes clinical training and study review. In total, approx. 2,685 hours will be offered for the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner program (4 academic years).
Apply Today: A downloadable version of application form is available in the following formats:
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Detailed schedules will be mailed to successful applicants.
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