What are the Categories of Membership?

ATMS is a professional association of complementary medicine practitioners. ATMS is represented on two Commonwealth statutory committees and represents about 65% of all professional complementary medicine practitioners nationally.

ATMS Accredited Membership is only open to a professionally qualified complementary medicine graduate or practitioner, who has completed their training at an ATMS accredited teaching institution.

A graduate or practitioner from non-ATMS accredited teaching institution, or from an overseas college, is assessed by the Academic Review Committee to determine their eligibility to become an ATMS Accredited Member.

Student Membership is open to those who are undertaking studies at an ATMS accredited teaching institution.

Associate Membership is open to consumers who have an interest in complementary medicine.

What Documents are Required to Become an Accredited Member?

The following documents are required to substantiate that an applicant has successfully completed a professional training course at an ATMS accredited teaching institution:

• Certified photocopies of awards
• Certified copies of the academic transcript
• A passport size photograph
• Proof of Australian citizenship, residency or work status if born outside of Australia
• If an osteopath, chiropractor or Victorian acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist, proof of current registration with the appropriate Registration Board.

What Are the Benefits of Each Category of Membership?

Accredited Member

Eligibility for an Accredited Member is dependent upon successful completion of a professional course of training at an ATMS accredited teaching institution, or an equivalent standard of training if from an overseas college or a non-accredited ATMS teaching institution.

The benefits of being an Accredited Member include:

• Discounted professional indemnity and public liability insurance. An application form for professional indemnity and public liability insurance is available after joining ATMS.

• Health fund rebates from about 45 health funds nationally. The amount and conditions of a rebate varies from fund to fund. Always ask your patient to check with their health fund.

• Membership of Australia's largest professional complementary medicine association, representing about 65% of the total number of complementary medicine practitioners nationally.

• Support service and information from the ATMS administrative team consisting of 9 staff members.

• Free subscription to the Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society . The quarterly Journal keeps members informed of developments within the profession, as well as providing research and articles of interest to practitioners.

• Free listing in the ATMS Membership Directory , as well as on the ATMS website for Accredited Members only. The Membership Directory is distributed free-of-charge to colleges, libraries, health food stores, Government offices etc nationally. It is freely available to consumers and is regularly publicised in publications such as Good Medicine and Wellbeing Magazine . The Membership Directory is printed once a year, and the ATMS website listing is updated monthly.

• Participation in the ATMS Continuing Professional Education seminar program at a discount rate.

• Practitioner referral service to consumers. The referral system which is widely advertised in print and broadcast media.

• Free advertising in the Noticeboard section of the Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society.

• Access to the ATMS brochure which explains to consumers the benefits of using complementary medicine.

• Access to ATMS notepads with space for clinic details at discount cost.

• Participation in the Yellow Pages ATMS block advertisement section at discount cost.

• Access to ATMS Gift Certificates at discount cost.

• Benefits of the ATMS $165,000 annual budget on promotion of complementary medicine in the community.

• Eligibility to free subscription to the ATMS Rapid News service.

• Eligibility to apply for the ATMS Further Education Grant totalling $10,000 in grants.

• ATMS Certificate of Membership.

Student Member

An ATMS Student Member is not a practitioner and it is ATMS policy that a student does not engage in unsupervised practise until they have completed their training.

A student must be currently enrolled in an ATMS accredited teaching institution be eligible for student membership.

The benefits of being an ATMS Student Member include:

• Membership of Australia's largest professional complementary medicine association, representing about 65% of the total number of complementary medicine practitioners nationally.

• Free subscription to the Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society . The quarterly Journal keeps members informed of developments within the profession, as well as providing research and articles of interest to practitioners.

• Participation in the ATMS Continuing Professional Education seminar program at a discount rate.

• Free advertising in the 'Work Wanted' section of Noticeboard of the Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society.

• Automatic upgrading to Accredited Member status upon successful completion of an ATMS accredited course.

• ATMS Certificate of Student Membership.

• Support service and information from the ATMS administrative team consisting of 9 staff members.

Associate Member

ATMS Associate Membership is open to consumers who would like the support ATMS and complementary medicine. No training requirements are needed. Associate Members receive the Journal of the Australian Traditional- Medicine Society .

What is the Procedure for Overseas Trained or Non-ATMS Accredited Teaching Institution Applicants?

If an applicant's qualifications were gained overseas, or at a non-ATMS accredited teaching institution, the membership application will be assessed by the Academic Review Committee (ARC).

Each applicant is assessed individually on their merit. The role of the ARC is to determine whether the training undertaken is equivalent to the training requirements at an ATMS accredited teaching institution.

Applicants must provide comprehensive information and include a certified copy of the award, curriculum details, number of hours per subject, certified copy of the academic transcript, details of the training institution, clinical experience, evidence from an accountant as to years in clinical practice, references from ATMS accredited members etc. Incomplete or poorly presented documentation will disadvantage an application.

What are the Membership Fees?

All membership fees are inclusive of the GST and a $40 joining fee.

Membership renewals are due on 1 July of each year. Half year fees apply to those who join between
1 January and 30 June of each calendar year.

• Student Member $77 ($60.50 for half year if joining between January to June)
• Accredited Member $187 ($115.50 for half year if joining between January to June)
• Associate Member $110 ($77 for half year if joining between January to June).

How Do I Obtain a Membership Application Form?

A membership application form can be acquired by telephoning the ATMS office on (02) 9809 6800, or by fax (02) 9809 7570, or by or by downloading the application form as a PDF file (this is a large file and will take a few minutes to download).

Download membership application form