Pathways to registration

All applicants applying for registration will create their own account on MyCMCNZ, then choose the appropriate pathway and follow the prompts to begin the application process.

For help finding the pathway that is right for you, the Council has created a flow chart questionnaire that will direct applicants to the correct pathway.

To follow are brief explanations of the pathways available.

Grand-parenting

The Council’s Grand-parenting pathway is a transitional pathway that allows certain practitioners to register with the Council and continue to practise their profession before implementation of new rules & regulations take full effect. This is informed by Section 13(b) of the HPCA Act which states that in the prescribing of qualifications “the qualifications may not unnecessarily restrict the registration of persons as health practitioners.”

This pathway is temporary and will remain open until 30 June 2024 only.

Any current registered member with Acupuncture New Zealand (AcNZ), New Zealand Acupuncture Standards Authority (NZASA), New Zealand Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Society (NZCMAS) or the New Zealand Register of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners (NZRTCMP) as of 01 April 2023 is eligible to apply for registration via the grand-parenting pathway into the ‘Chinese medicine practitioner (acupuncturist)’, ‘Chinese herbal medicine practitioner’, and/or ‘Chinese massage (tuina) practitioner’ scopes of practice.

Individuals who are not current registered members with AcNZ, NZASA, NZCMAS or NZRTCMP as of 01 April 2023 may also be eligible to apply for registration via the grand-parenting pathway into the ‘Chinese medicine practitioner (acupuncturist)’, ‘Chinese herbal medicine practitioner’, and/or ‘Chinese massage (tuina) practitioner’ scopes of practice if they can satisfy the criterion set out in the Council’s Policy on Grand-parenting.

You can view the Council’s Policy on Grand-parenting here.

NZ-qualified

Applicants who hold any of the following qualifications from New Zealand education institutions are eligible to apply via this pathway:

• a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Acupuncture (Level 7) from the New Zealand School of Acupuncture and TCM or the New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine.
• a 4-year Bachelor of Health Science in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine (level 7) from the New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine.

• a 3-year Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Chinese herbal medicine (Level 7) from the New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine.
• a Graduate Diploma in Health Science (Chinese Herbal Medicine) (Level 7) from the New Zealand School of Acupuncture and TCM.
• a Master of Chinese Medicine from the New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine.
• a 2-year Diploma in Tuina (Level 7) from the from the New Zealand School of Acupuncture and TCM or the New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine.
• a Graduate Certificate in Health Sciences (Tuina Massage Therapy) (Level 7) from the New Zealand School of Acupuncture and TCM.

 

 

Australian-registered

The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act (TTMRA) 1997 recognises Australian and New Zealand registration standards as equivalent and enhances the freedom of registered professionals to work in either country. An applicant who is currently registered and in good standing in Australia, will be eligible to register in New Zealand.

You must be registered and hold a practising certificate in order to work as a Chinese medicine practitioner in New Zealand. You may apply for a practising certificate through the MyCMCNZ applicant portal once registered. 

Overseas-Qualified

Applicants with Chinese medicine qualifications obtained overseas will need to apply via the Overseas-qualified pathway. This pathway requires that an overseas qualification be submitted for assessment against the Council’s Accreditation Standards. Together with the qualification, the following certified documentation will be required:

• Qualifications assessment against the NZQA framework or equivalent if applicable
• Course Syllabus, Course description, Academic Transcript and any CM relevant employment experience.

Additionally, those who have completed qualifications overseas, at the discretion of the Council, may need to successfully pass a competency assessment as set by the Council. Successful completion of a competency assessment enables an individual practitioner to demonstrate their ability to meet the Council’s competencies for their scope of practice.