In the last few decades, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has taken a tremendous upward trend in Europe, and in particular also in Austria. The demand for physicians who practise according to TCM methods is on the steady increase amongst Austrians.

The ÖAGTCM was founded by a team of physicians in December 2004, in order to offer an optimal TCM training programme to their medical colleagues in Upper Austria.

Since 2018 the ÖAGTCM is a member of the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA), which is an umbrella organisation for professional associations that represent different fields within Traditional Chinese Medicine. The main purpose of the ETCMA is to promote the wider recognition and acceptance of TCM therapies by European governments and the public.

If it was initially acupuncture which successfully established itself in the West, today it is much more phytotherapy with Chinese medicinal herbs, as well as the Chinese dietetics which occupy a position of central interest.

The following aims, amongst others, are laid down in the statutes of the ÖAGTCM:

• Further education and training of physicians in TCM through organizing events on theory and practice of international standards.
• Invitations of internationally renowned speakers to talk about the following specific areas of expertise, e.g: Western herbs in TCM, Haematology, Oncology, Special tongue-and pulse-based diagnostic methods, Classic works of TCM, such as Shang Han Lun, Wen Bing and much more
• International cooperation and collaboration
• Representation of professional interests politically
• Marketing and public relations
• The development of quality assurances measures and guidelines
• Publications

There is a close cooperation between the ÖAGTCM, the BACOPA Medical Society and the BACOPA Educational Centre in Upper Austria.
We take great care to ensure that our collaboration with the various Austrian TCM Training Institutes is of the best. As a result of this accredited hours of study on your part at other certified societies will count with us towards the final sum of your study hours.
It would give us great pleasure, should our programme be of interest to you, or should you want to become a member of our society.

May I, in conclusion, wish you great pleasure in your association with TCM!

Florian Ploberger MD, B.Ac., MA