Monday, December 15, 2025
If you are planning to become a licensed acupuncturist in Canada, you will almost certainly hear about the Pan-Canadian Exam early on. It is a national, entry level exam used by regulators to confirm that you can practice safely before you register as an acupuncturist.
Below is a beginner friendly guide to what the Pan Canadian Examination is, who needs it, what you will actually write, and how Vancouver Career College supports exam readiness through its Acupuncture Diploma Program.
What the Pan-Canadian Examination Is
The Pan-Canadian Entry-Level Examinations in TCM and Acupuncture are designed to assess entry level occupational competencies required for safe, competent, and ethical practice. There are separate exams for TCM Practitioners, Acupuncturists, and TCM Herbalists.
The exams are administered by CARB-TCMPA (Canadian Alliance of Regulatory Bodies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists).
Things You Need to Know about Pan-Canadian Exam
How It Is Delivered
Delivery is in person and computer-based at testing centres. The exams returned to in person computer-based testing centres in October 2023, and that test centres are not available outside Canada.
A few practical details that help you picture exam day:
- It is computer delivered, one question appears on screen at a time.
- You can bookmark questions and return to them.
- It is closed book and external reference materials are not permitted.
How Scoring Works
CARB-TCMPA uses a scaled scoring approach. A total scaled score of at least 400 is required to pass.
A few other scoring realities worth knowing:
- Each exam can include experimental questions (pre-testing). These are not included in your score, and you will not know which ones they are, so you should answer every question seriously.
- There is no deduction for wrong answers noted in the handbook, which is another reason not to leave items blank.
Language Options
Language availability depends on province and administration:
- Exams are available in English.
- In Quebec and Ontario, French can be offered on request with sufficient notice.
- In British Columbia and Ontario, exams may also be offered in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese (in addition to English), depending on the administration.
Exam Schedule
The pan canadian exam is typically offered twice per year: one sitting in the Spring (April) and one in the Fall (October).
What that usually looks like for Acupuncturists
- The Acupuncturists exam is commonly scheduled over two consecutive days.
- Spring exam dates can fall in late April or early May depending on the year.
Common application deadlines
CARB-TCMPA’s posted timelines commonly use:
- January 15 deadline for the April sitting
- July 15 deadline for the October sitting
- In BC, CCHPBC application documents also show the January 15 deadline for the April/May administration (example: January 15, 2026 at 1:00 pm Vancouver time).
Because registration is handled through your province’s regulator, always confirm the exact exam dates and deadlines with your province (BC, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, or Newfoundland and Labrador).
Where to apply in BC?
Submit your Pan-Canadian Exam application to CCHPBC’s Licensure Department (TCMA Examination Applications).
Important: Requirements and steps can vary by applicant pathway (new graduate in BC, out of province, internationally trained), so it’s still best to confirm your exact route on CCHPBC’s TCM and Acupuncture Applicants pages before submitting
Which Provinces Use It for Licensing
The Pan-Canadian Examinations must be written by candidates applying for registration (where titles are available) in:
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Ontario
- Quebec
Who Needs to Write the PAN CANADIAN EXAM
In plain terms, you typically need to write the pan canadian exam if you are seeking registration as an acupuncturist in one of the participating provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Quebec).
This requirement applies to:
- Graduates of Canadian programs in acupuncture, and
- Graduates of international programs in acupuncture who are applying for registration in a participating province.
A practical takeaway for beginners: the exam is not something you “opt into” for fun. It is a licensing step tied to your province’s registration process, and your provincial regulatory body is the gatekeeper for eligibility.
Exam Structure: What You Actually Write
For Acupuncturists, the Pan-Canadian exam has two components, each with its own time limit and question set:
Multiple choice component
- 2.5 hours
- 125 questions (may include up to 10 percent experimental questions)
Clinical case component
- 2.5 hours
- 40 questions (may include up to 10 percent experimental questions)
The clinical case component can include different formats, including standard multiple choice and multiple select questions, where more than one answer may be correct (the question will indicate how many to select).
What this means for preparation: you are not only memorizing point functions and patterns. You are practising how to read quickly, spot what matters, and apply clinical reasoning consistently under time limits.
Eligibility and Registration: The Key Steps
Because provincial requirements vary, the details of eligibility and application steps depend on where you apply. Still, the process typically looks like this:
1. Choose your registration province
2. Confirm eligibility
Eligibility varies by province, but in general includes completing a post secondary program of study and acquiring relevant supervised clinical experience.
3. Apply through your provincial regulator
To be approved to write the exam.
4. Select exam administration details
(language preference and location preferences, where applicable). Candidates may be asked to indicate preferred locations, and that test centre availability can affect final placement.
5. Write the exam in person
At a computer based testing centre in Canada.
A practical tip: keep your timeline realistic. Between eligibility review, documentation, and exam administrations, it can take planning. Starting early makes it easier to avoid missing deadlines.
How Vancouver Career College Supports Pan-Canadian Exam
Vancouver Career College Acupuncture Diploma Program is designed to help students build the knowledge, clinical thinking, and confidence needed to approach the pan canadian exam with a clear plan.
Extensive clinical experience
Students observe TCM clinic operations through supervised clinical placements and gain hands-on practice in key skills such as patient interviewing, diagnosis, and treatment.
It also includes supervised clinical practice courses where students learn diagnosis and treatment under instructor supervision and discuss treatment plans before and after sessions.
Curriculum that supports exam-level thinking
The program combines Traditional Chinese Medicine foundations with biomedical knowledge, which supports both exam components.
Courses include topics such as:
- Principles of TCM and core theory
- TCM diagnostic methods and diagnosis
- Pattern differentiation
- Acupuncture therapy and point prescription
- Acupuncture case studies, including peer discussion and comparing clinical approaches
- Human anatomy, physiology, and musculoskeletal anatomy with palpation and needling safety considerations
- Practice management and regulations
Built-in exam preparation
The curriculum provides comprehensive preparation for the Pan-Canadian written and clinical case-study examinations for acupuncturists.
Recognition and measurable outcomes
Graduates are positioned to write the PAN-CAN examinations for acupuncturists in BC, and that the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC) recognizes the program.
As well as a good result of 95.45% pass rate on the PAN-CAN exam results for April 2024 for its Acupuncture program students.
Final Thoughts
The Pan-Canadian Exam can feel intimidating at first, but it becomes much more manageable once you understand the format, the scoring, and the steps to registration. The most effective strategy is to build readiness over time through structured learning, supervised clinical practice, and targeted review.
If your goal is to become licensed, a program that includes both hands on clinical training and explicit Pan-Canadian exam preparation, such as Vancouver Career College Acupuncture diploma program and supervised clinical placements, can help you move from “I am interested” to “I am ready to write.”
