Our Vision: Acupuncturists are primary care practitioners providing safe collaborative care for the health and wellness of Albertans
Our Mission: To protect Albertans by establishing and upholding professional standards for acupuncturists through regulatory excellence
Our Values
Integrity: Prioritize being honest and authentic above all else.
Innovation: Believe that if we are not getting better, we are not moving forward.
Drive: Be the catalyst that creates change.
Leadership: Be motivated by making others stronger.
Collaboration: Know that we can raise the bar higher together than any one person can alone.
Relationship between a College and an Association
Colleges and Associations exist for very different reasons, and each functions differently in terms of purpose. One is not interchangeable for another. A regulated profession benefits when both entities co-exist and work together to fulfill their primary goals.
| College | Association | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership | Mandatory | Voluntary |
| Accountability | Accountable to the government | Accountable to its members |
| Primary goal | Achieve mandate to protect the public | Act in the best interest of its members and advocate on behalf of the profession they represent |
| Legislative compliance | Govern regulated members according to legislation and bylaws. | No regulatory authority |
| Competence | Sets the standards for competence requirements. Runs a continuing competence program. | Free to offer professional development opportunities to support their members in their pursuit of competent and ethical practice. |
| Ethics | Sets the standards for ethical practice. Authorized to receive complaints from the public of alleged unprofessional conduct against regulated members, and can take disciplinary action when necessary. | Free to offer professional development opportunities to support their members in their pursuit of competent and ethical practice. |
| Protected title | Authorizes use of protected title (i.e. Doctor of Acupuncture) | Cannot authorize use of a protected title |
| Advocacy | Not permitted to advocate for the profession | Free to focus on advocacy and promotion of the profession, including such issues as public awareness and professional image. |