In a bid to ensure the quality of traditional Chinese medical services, the government is planning to implement a two-year compulsory training program for TCM majors at certified hospitals before they are allowed to start their own clinics. The new measure is expected to take effect in January of 2014.

In order to protect the rights of patients, the Department of Health recently announced a new measure aimed at improving the quality of Chinese medicine services and treatments in Taiwan.

In the future, Chinese medicine students or graduates that want to open their own clinics will have to undergo a two-year training program at a DOH-approved Chinese medicine clinic or affiliated hospital department.

Under current regulations, new graduates can open their own clinics after working at any hospital for two years.

Chinese medicine practitioners say that the measure will improve the professionalization and specialization of the industry, but at the same time are concerned that there are more students than training positions available at approved institutions.

The DOH has announced a two-year grace period for the measure, which means that it won't officially go into effect until 2014.