Table 2: Formal education system of traditional medicine in China (including the Taiwan region), Korea, and Japan.
CountryAre there schools teaching TM?Program durationCompositionDegreeSpecializationLicense
Mainland
China 		Yes
5-year courseBasic medicine + clinical theory (3.5 years)
clinical training
(1.5 years)a		Bachelor’sTCM
IM		DCM
DIM
       
  7-year course Basic medicine + clinical theory
(5 years)
clinical training (1.5 years)
thesis (0.5 years)		Bachelor’s
and master’s
TCM
IM		DCM
DIM
Taiwan
region
Yes
8-year course Basic medicine + clinical theory
(6 years)
clinical training (2 years)b		Bachelor’sTCM and CMDCM and MD
       
  Postbaccalaureate program
(5 years)c		Basic medicine + clinical theory
(4 years)
clinical training (1 year)		Master’s
TCMDCM
Korea Yes
6-year courseBasic medicine + clinical theory
(5 years)
clinical training (1 year)		Bachelor’sTKMDKM
       
  Postbaccalaureate program
(4 years)c		 Basic medicine + clinical theory
(3 years)
clinical training (1 year)		Master’s
TKMDKM
JapanNo (for MD)——Bachelor’sCMdMDd
       
 Yes (for acupuncturists,
moxibustion therapists,
Anma-massage-Shiatsu
therapists, and Judo therapists)		University
(4 years) 		Basic medicine + clinical theory
clinical training
(years not specifiable) 		Bachelor’s Acupuncture, moxibustion,
and Judo therapy
(Anma-massage-Shiatsu
in one university)		Licensed acupuncturist, moxibustion therapist,
Anma-massage-Shiatsu therapist,
and/or Judo therapist
       
  Professional school or school for the blind
(3 years)		Basic medicine + clinical theory
clinical training (years not specifiable) 		  Acupuncture, moxibustion,
Anma-massage-Shiatsu,
and Judo therapy		Licensed acupuncturist, moxibustion therapist,
Anma-massage-Shiatsu therapist, and/or Judo therapist
CM: conventional medicine; D: doctor of; IM: integrative medicine; MD: doctor of medicine; OM: oriental medicine; TCM: traditional Chinese medicine; TKM: traditional Korean medicine; TM: traditional medicine
aIn the 5-year course offered in China, students should complete an additional 1 year of clinical training to obtain a national license.
bClinical training in the 8-year course offered in the Taiwan region consists of 1 year of training in TCM and another year of training in CM.
cStudents in the Taiwan region and Korea can enter a postbaccalaureate program after finishing a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree program in another specialization and should write a Master’s thesis to earn a Master’s Degree.
dPartial education about Kampo is included in CM education.