School of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Admission Highlights The School of Traditional Chinese Medicine admitted its first cohort of students in 1998 and enrolls 50 students each year in a seven-year program. To provide a comprehensive learning environment, the Department has established facilities such as a Clinical Skills Classroom for Traditional Chinese Medicine, a Chinese Herbal Medicine Practice Classroom, a Humanities Corner, and a Chinese Herbal Dispensing Room. The curriculum places equal emphasis on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine. Students share the same learning resources as those in the School of Medicine, with close integration between foundational and clinical training. Clinical internships are conducted within the Chang Gung medical system, offering students a well-structured and comprehensive clinical education. The Department also places strong emphasis on independent learning and encourages students to take initiative through diverse teaching methods and assessment approaches. To broaden students’ academic horizons, the Department offers an elective Research in Traditional Chinese Medicine course during winter and summer breaks, as well as six elective TCM internship courses that allow students to study at accredited Traditional Chinese Medicine hospitals and clinics of their choice. Students admitted through regular admission channels who are not enrolled under additional quota status and achieve a first-year average score of 70 or above may apply for a double major in Medicine, subject to the relevant review regulations. Each year, 48 double-major places are available. Upon completion of the double-major program, graduates are eligible to take both the Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician Licensure Examination and the Physician Licensure Examination. Our alumni have been widely recognized by both patients and employers for their excellent performance, and their career prospects remain strong.

Educational Objectives Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) embodies a rich and profound body of knowledge. By integrating TCM with the science and technology of Western medicine and by cultivating a new generation of professionals, we aim to advance modern medicine and contribute to the well-being of humanity. Accordingly, the mission of the Department is to integrate modern medical science and technology into the study of Traditional Chinese Medicine, promote the complementary development of Chinese and Western medicine, and enhance patient care. The Department’s educational objectives are as follows: To preserve, inherit, and advance Traditional Chinese Medicine To cultivate outstanding physicians in both Chinese and Western medicine, as well as professionals in TCM research To promote the modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine

History and Future Prospects In accordance with the Physicians Act of Taiwan, graduates of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine who complete the required internship and obtain their degree are eligible to take the licensure examination for Traditional Chinese Medicine physicians. Students who complete the double major in Medicine and meet the relevant requirements may further apply for the licensure examination for Western medicine physicians after obtaining certification as a Traditional Chinese Medicine physician. Accordingly, students in the Department’s double-major track may, after graduation, pursue licensure in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine in sequence. With regard to the quota for the double-major program, the Ministry of Education determined in 2002 that enrollment would be limited to 48 students, with a principal eligibility requirement of a first-year average academic score of 70 or above. Because graduates may pursue qualifications in both fields, the Department offers broad and flexible career pathways. Alumni may develop careers in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Medicine, biomedical research, or clinical practice. Under current regulations, however, only one practice field may be officially registered at a time. For example, if a graduate is registered as a Traditional Chinese Medicine physician, Western medicine services are not covered by Taiwan’s National Health Insurance and must be provided on a self-pay basis, and vice versa.