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Traditional & Complementary Medicine Practitioner

Healthcare

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases using a system of practice that is based on the natural healing capacity of individuals. May use physiological, psychological or mechanical methods. May also use natural medicines, prescription or legend drugs, foods, herbs, or other natural remedies.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Allied HealthScience

In Malaysia

In the US this O*NET code covers naturopaths; in Malaysia the job is defined by the T&CM Act 2016 (Act 775), which recognises seven practice areas: Malay, Chinese and Indian traditional medicine, homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic and Islamic medical practice. Most practitioners run their own clinics or work in wellness centres and postnatal care, and MOH runs T&CM units in some government hospitals.

How people get into it here
Take a qualification the T&CM Council recognises for your practice area, e.g. SKM/DKM in Malay massage, a Diploma in Traditional Malay Medicine or a bachelor's in Chinese medicine, then register with the Council and renew your practising certificate every year.

Sources:hq.moh.gov.mymoh.gov.my

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Document patients' histories, including identifying data, chief complaints, illnesses, previous medical or family histories, or psychosocial characteristics.
  2. 2Educate patients about health care management.
  3. 3Advise patients about therapeutic exercise and nutritional medicine regimens.
  4. 4Conduct physical examinations and physiological function tests for diagnostic purposes.
  5. 5Administer, dispense, or prescribe natural medicines, such as food or botanical extracts, herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and amino acids.
  6. 6Interview patients to document symptoms and health histories.
  7. 7Diagnose health conditions, based on patients' symptoms and health histories, laboratory and diagnostic radiology test results, or other physiological measurements, such as electrocardiograms and electroencephalographs.
  8. 8Administer treatments or therapies, such as homeopathy, hydrotherapy, Oriental or Ayurvedic medicine, electrotherapy, and diathermy, using physical agents including air, heat, cold, water, sound, or ultraviolet light to catalyze the body to heal itself.
  9. 9Consult with other health professionals to provide optimal patient care, referring patients to traditional health care professionals as necessary.
  10. 10Order diagnostic imaging procedures such as radiographs (x-rays), ultrasounds, mammograms, and bone densitometry tests, or refer patients to other health professionals for these procedures.
  11. 11Maintain professional development through activities such as postgraduate education, continuing education, preceptorships, and residency programs.
  12. 12Obtain medical records from previous physicians or other health care providers for the purpose of patient evaluation.
  13. 13Conduct periodic public health maintenance activities such as immunizations and screenings for diseases and disease risk factors.
  14. 14Perform venipuncture or skin pricking to collect blood samples.
  15. 15Monitor updates from public health agencies to keep abreast of health trends.
  16. 16Perform mobilizations and high-velocity adjustments to joints or soft tissues, using principles of massage, stretching, or resistance.
  17. 17Prescribe synthetic drugs under the supervision of medical doctors or within the allowances of regulatory bodies.
  18. 18Perform minor surgical procedures, such as removing warts, moles, or cysts, sampling tissues for skin cancer or lipomas, and applying or removing sutures.
  19. 19Report patterns of patients' health conditions, such as disease status and births, to public health agencies.
  20. 20Treat minor cuts, abrasions, or contusions.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Dr
  • Physician
  • Naturopath
  • Doctor (Dr)
  • Naturopathic Doctor
  • Naturopathic Oncologist
  • Naturopathic Physicians
  • Naturopathic Endocrinologist
  • Naturopathic Medicine Doctor
  • Naturopathic Oncology Provider

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationDoctoral degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BiologyDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
ChemistryDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional ScienceDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Sports ScienceDraws directly on Therapy and Counseling — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Medicine and Dentistry99%

    BiologyChemistry

  • Biology95%

    BiologyAdditional Science

  • Psychology95%
  • Therapy and Counseling90%

    BiologySports Science

  • Customer and Personal Service89%
  • English Language84%

    English

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

10%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Naturopathic Physicians

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org