Membership Requirements
In order to be eligible for membership and obtain the designation of Registered Acupuncture (R.Ac.) with the Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of Nova Scotia an applicant must meet the following criteria:
1. Be a successful graduate of an accredited program of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine that meets the following criteria:
a. At least 3 years (or the equivalent) of a full time Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine program totaling at least 1900 hours which also includes:
i. 450 hours clinical practice
ii. 200 hours of Western Biomedicine (anatomy, physiology, pathology, etc)
iii. Course in Safety and Clean Needle Techniques
2. Be over 18 years of age
3. Be a Canadian citizen, a Landed Immigrant or possess a valid and relevant work permit for Canada 4. Reside and practice in Nova Scotia, or be in the process of moving to Nova Scotia 5. Be up to date on Emergency First Aid and CPR Certification
6. Have a clear Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector check from the RCMP
7. Obtain professional liability coverage with a minimum of $1, 000, 000 (one million) per claim that covers the practice of Acupuncture and |Other modalities practiced by the applicant
8. Pay $100 non-refundable application fee
Required documentation for Application
1. ATCMANS Application form
2. Copy of Diploma (photocopy or picture)
3. Copy of Transcripts from your college including total hour of training and individual class names with hours of training for each class .
For international applicants please also include an evaluation from ICES – International Credential Evaluation Services that clearly states the education is comparable to completion of a similar program at a recognized post secondary institution in Canada
4. Copy of a government issued photo ID (deriver’s licence, passport, citizenship card, etc) 5. Copy of up to date First Aid and CPR Certification
6. Proof of completion of a Safety and Clean Needle Technique course. If it is not explicitly shown on your transcript, you may take this online course and provide the certificate in your application www.healthcmi.com/safetyinacupuncture2details
7. Copy of a Criminal Record & Vulnerable Sector check from the RCMP done within the last 3 months a. For international applicants please also provide a criminal record check from country of origin
8. Personal Resume
9. Two (2) letters of recommendation from professionals who have known you for at least two (2) years regarding character, integrity, work ethic and interpersonal skills. Acceptable recommendations may come from: registered acupuncturist, current or past college professor, lawyer, teacher, chartered accountant, medical doctor, naturopathic doctor, chiropractor, registered massage therapist, osteopath, physiotherapist, employer/manager, etc.
At least one of the recommendations must come from a professional who is not affiliated with your acupuncture college program.
10. Certificate of professional liability insurance clearly stating a minimum of $1, 000, 000 (one million dollars) per claim per year that covers acupuncture and any other modalities you practice. If you are already practicing, please provide proof of insurance for the last 3 years b. New residents and new graduates may opt to wait until approval of application to obtain liability insurance which is acceptable, please see below for more information.
11. Other Documents that may help support your application such as:
certificate of membership to other professional associations you may belong to, such as another acupuncture association/college, massage therapy association, reflexology association, etc.
letter of completion of licensing exams (Pan-Canadian, NCCAOM, etc)
Other college/university education diplomas
11. $100 non-refundable application fee paid by e-transfer to info@atcmans.ca
Application Process
• Once you have all the required documents compiled you can apply using on our online application form
• You will be contacted within a week to confirm your application has been received
• The application will be forwarded to the Membership Committee for review.
o For Canadian trained applications this could take up to 6 weeks
o For international applications this could take up to 3 months
o You will be advised if wait times are longer than expected or if addition information is required
Please note that dual-memberships between ATCMANS and another Nova Scotia acupuncture association are not accepted. If you are an active member of another association looking to move to ATCMANS, please indicate on your application when your current association membership expires.
Approval is not guaranteed, even with all the correct documentation. ATCMANS is a self-governing association ran by volunteers; we are committed to upholding the highest standards of practice of Acupuncture and TCM to protect our members and the public. We reserve the right to request additional documentation from applicants at any time during the process and to deny approval at any time for any reason. You may also withdrawal application at any time, for any reason.
Approval Process
If you are approved for membership, the committee will contact you and provide you with the following information in order to finalize membership. Once these additional steps are taken you will receive a certificate in the mail and be added to our list of “approved providers” for private health insurance plans.
• Provide a signed copy of the ATCMANS Code of Ethics, which includes that you have read the association By Laws, Code of Ethics, Scope of Practice and Jurisprudence documents and agree to uphold these standards.
• Provide proof of liability insurance if not sent in initial
• Pay the annual registration fee of $300 (will be prorated for joining part way though the year)
Annual Membership Renewal Process
For your reference, please be advised of the following are the current requirements to maintain membership with ATCMANS. Membership renewal occurs in February every year and ever member must complete renewal registration regardless of when they joined the previous year.
1. Updated contact information
2. Proof of continuing education courses. Members require 40 hours of Continuing Education (CE) every 2 years.
3. Annual membership dues of $300
a. You will receive a $50 discount if you attend the Annual General Meeting the previous year
b. Continuing education – members must complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education every 2 years that directly relates to the practice of Acupuncture and other modalities of TCM
4. Proof of continued liability insurance
5. Proof of up to date emergency first aid
6. Copy of current government issued ID
7. Updated criminal background and vulnerable sectors check every 5 years.