CARB-TCMPA TCM Herbalist study guide
CARB-TCMPA TCM Herbalist · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The CARB-TCMPA TCM Herbalist credential is a professional certification for practitioners who prescribe and dispense Chinese herbal medicinals within a regulated scope of practice. It is intended for graduates of formal TCM herbal training who need to demonstrate, to a regulator and to the public, that they can move safely and coherently from pattern differentiation to an appropriate herbal prescription. The CARB-TCMPA TCM Herbalist study guide has 8 sections and about 1,856 words.
01TCM Foundations, Theory, and Diagnostic Methods
TCM foundations reward integrated thinking, not isolated facts. Know yin-yang as relative, dynamic, and transformable; the five phases as correspondence systems; zang-fu as functional networks rather than anatomical organs alone; and qi, blood, body fluids, jing, and shen as interrelated substances.
245 words, about 1 min02Chinese Materia Medica (Single-Herb Herbology)
Single-herb questions test properties, not just names. For each herb know nature (cold, cool, neutral, warm, hot), flavor (pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, bland, astringent), channel entered, actions, indications, dosage range, preparation, and contraindications.
230 words, about 1 min03Classical and Modern Chinese Herbal Formulations
Formulas are tested as systems. Know the roles of chief (jun), deputy (chen), assistant (zuo), and envoy (shi); how proportions create direction; and how classical formulas are modified for patterns.
246 words, about 1 min04Treatment Strategy, Pattern Differentiation, and Case Management
Treatment strategy asks what to treat first, how much, and for how long. Distinguish root (ben) from branch (biao), and decide whether to treat the branch acutely, support upright qi, or eliminate pathogen.
250 words, about 1 min05Herbal Safety, Toxicology, Contraindications, and Herb-Drug Interactions
Herbal safety questions test dose, preparation, constitution, pregnancy, organ function, and interactions. Know the classic toxic herbs and their processing or contraindications; recognize that "natural" does not mean safe.
226 words, about 1 min06Biomedical Sciences, Pharmacology, and Western Diagnosis Correlation
Candidates must recognize when Western diagnosis changes herbal management. Know basic physiology, common lab tests, imaging, and red flags.
223 words, about 1 min07Professional Practice, Ethics, Informed Consent, and Recordkeeping
This domain tests judgment, not memorized statutes. Informed consent is a process: explain proposed care, realistic benefits, risks, alternatives, and the right to refuse; confirm understanding; document.
223 words, about 1 min08Jurisprudence, Scope of Practice, and Regulatory Compliance
Jurisprudence questions test the legal boundaries of practice. Know the licensing or registration requirements in your jurisdiction, the defined scope of practice, supervision and delegation rules, advertising limits, and reporting obligations.
213 words, about 1 min