Where should I start?
Where should I start?
If you're not sure where to begin, that's actually the normal starting point — almost nobody arrives already certain which program fits, and figuring that out is the first real step, not something you're behind on.
The honest starting question isn't "which school" or "which class" — it's which of three tracks matches where you already are:
| Where you are now | Track | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|
| New to the field, want to become a practitioner | Entry-level: MAcHM (master's), DAcHM (doctorate, dual-degree), or DAc/MAc (acupuncture-only) | Licensure-track training from the ground up |
| Already hold a field master's (MAcHM/MTCM/MAc) | Bridge/Completion (100% online) or apply directly to DAOM | Upgrade your title to the doctorate, two valid paths |
| Curious, but not ready to commit to a degree | NDS (non-degree-seeking) | Try up to one course a term, for up to three terms, before deciding |
(Source: Five Branches' own "Guidance for Future Students" page, last checked 08/2026.)
If you're weighing entry-level study, the practical prerequisites are three natural science courses — General Biology, Chemistry and Physics, each a minimum of three semester credits — plus General Psychology, taken at any regionally accredited institution. Human Anatomy and Human Physiology aren't prerequisites, though you'll take them within the program itself. The sciences may be taken concurrently with TCM studies within the first two years, though completing them beforehand is recommended. (Five Branches Educational Requirements page, revised 09/2026.)
And if the real hesitation isn't "which program" but "am I ready to commit at all," the NDS path exists exactly for that: one course, no degree commitment, and the credit typically carries forward if you later decide to enroll fully.
There's also a short program-comparison guide if you'd like to see all the tracks laid out side by side.
What's pulling you toward TCM in the first place — a personal healing story, a career change, or something else?
Sources
- Five Branches University — Applying To Five Branches checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Dac Mac Dual Degree Program checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Educational Requirements checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Guidance For Future Students checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Programs Degrees checked 2026-08
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