China plans to cultivate 100,000 TCM experts within 5-10 yrs

BEIJING — China will cultivate about 100,000 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) professionals over the next five to 10 years in a bid to expedite TCM development, according to a circular issued by the General Office of the State Council.

Improvements to TCM services have long been impeded by the limited talent pool and education resources. In response, the circular put forward a slew of measures to boost the development of TCM.

The circular called for efforts to establish a curriculum for specialized colleges and universities centered on TCM courses and launch about 100 programs to develop first-class undergraduate TCM majors.

It also proposed several specific projects, focusing on aspects including the cultivation of workers, the building of research platforms and the improvement of raw materials for medicine.