Traditional Chinese Medicine: Providers, information, questions - answers

Acupuncture influences bodily functions via specific points on the surface of the body - this is the advantage of TCM acupuncture training. By inserting the needles to different depths at over 360 acupuncture points, the circulation of Qi is balanced and certain organ systems are regulated. The needle pricks are rarely painful. The patient feels a slight pulling sensation or a subtle electrical sensation when the desired point is reached.

Traditional Chinese medicine training is a possible option:

• Massage courses
• Sports massage courses
• Special treatment strategies
• Shiatsu training
• Additional training in another method
• Aromatherapy
• Cranio Therapy
• Further training in traditional Chinese medicine
• Other naturopathic training and further education

If you are asking yourself "Why train in Chinese medicine?"... then you should be aware of the following. TCM strives for a cause-related cure and works at the root of the disease. Because the health of every person depends on the balance of the opposing forces Yin and Yang and the harmonious flow of energy "Qi".

• Akupunktur
• Qi Gong
• Herbalistik
• Tuina
• Ernährung / Diätetik

The main specialist topics in TCM training for alternative practitioners are:

• Pain therapy
• Pediatrics (Pediatrics)
• ENT, addiction, internal medicine, orthopaedics, gynaecology and psychosomatics
• Phytotherapy
• Moxibustion
• Dietetics
• Pulse and tongue diagnostics
• Ear and cranial acupuncture

The training in Traditional Chinese Medicine is very comprehensive and - depending on the training provider - takes around four years including the internship, but can also be completed over a longer period of time. The intensity and duration should meet your personal needs and not overwhelm you, as a certain number of hours of self-study are always required in addition to attendance time. If you are not interested in such an extensive course, you can also attend shorter seminars in TCM at most schools, which will take you a few days or months to complete. It is best to ask the individual schools about the courses they offer.

With traditional Chinese medicine training, you can obtain the qualification of naturopath with a federal diploma specializing in TCM. To do this, you must first acquire the basic medical knowledge and then obtain the TCM-FVS diploma (from the TCM professional association). Specific training at a higher technical college is then required.

The following different forms of therapy are available as part of the TCM acupuncture training:

• Electro-acupuncture (weak electrical impulses)
• Laser acupuncture (medical laser light)
• Moxibustion (warming the acupuncture points by burning dried leaves)
• Cupping (stimulation of the meridians through cupping glasses)

Chinese medicine is based on acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, exercise therapy and therapeutic massage. TCM has a pain-relieving effect, especially for chronic pain. Side effects are possible when using medicinal herbs. Doctors and alternative practitioners with additional training are permitted to offer treatments.

A prerequisite for training in Chinese medicine is knowledge from Medical Basics M1. However, no previous medical training is required; this knowledge can be acquired in the course of the training parallel to the specialist courses. In this way, the best of Western medicine and the Far Eastern art of healing can be utilized. In some cases there are further requirements, such as completion of upper secondary school, minimum age 25, at least two years of professional experience in this field, etc. Enquire directly at the school of your choice.

The eight different TCM modules in the Traditional Chinese Medicine degree program are:

• Human Sciences TCM
• Health culture
• Preclinic TCM
• TCM clinic
• Preclinical school medicine
• Clinic conventional medicine
• Longitudinal section
• Longitudinal internship

The following methods are possible in the Traditional Chinese Medicine course:

• Acupuncture
• Tunia massage
• Chinese drug therapy
• Chinese dietetics Dietetics
• Western medicines according to TCM / Phyto West

When studying Chinese medicine, it is important to learn more than just from books. Internships, study trips and mobility are important forms of teaching and learning in the course in order to successfully apply the knowledge from all module categories and gain experience. Students deepen their holistic knowledge in the sense of integrative medicine and apply it in prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and aftercare.

The TCM training for doctors is structured in such a way that it can be completed alongside the profession without major difficulties and no "medical basics" part is necessary. Knowledge is imparted about:

• Basics of TCM
• TCM diagnostics
• Differential diagnosis of TCM
• Guideway system and points
• Acupuncture and related techniques
• Nutrition according to TCM
• Qigong
• Tuina
• Acupuncture therapy
• Networking

Each school sets its own rules and can independently determine who is admitted to a course or training program. Some institutions do not have any admission requirements, while others require a minimum age of 18 or 21 and basic school education or an upper secondary level qualification (vocational qualification) as well as professional experience.
In addition, you should fulfill the following criteria for all schools of traditional Chinese medicine:

• Willingness to develop personally
• Physical and mental resilience
• Sense of responsibility
• Empathy
• Stamina
• Medical interest

The SWISS TCM UNI offers study programs for Bachelor, Master, DSc and PhD students. The long-standing partnership with the NJUCM creates a solid basis for a trusting cooperation and offers special added value for students and lecturers of TCM and conventional medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine studies are therefore possible.

TCM training without prior knowledge is possible. Basic training in conventional medicine and previous knowledge are not required for admission to these training courses. However, those who already have paramedical training can have some modules credited and thus shorten their training. Otherwise, the training can be built up in stages and leads to a federally recognized diploma by completing modules.