Career Advice for Job Seekers

Herbal Medicine School And Career Opportunities

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
August 4, 2014


Male herbalist doctor weighing Chinese medicinal herbs

Male herbalist doctor weighing Chinese medicinal herbs. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Do you know what exactly Herbal Medicine is meant for? It aims to bring back the body to a state of natural balance, in order that it can start healing itself. It’s the study of holistic and herbal remedies, which helps to treat illness and ailments. While the couse acquaints students to herbal medicine  and its uses as an alternative type of medicine. Herbal Medicine or call it as ‘Alternative medicine’ has become an up-and-coming field, which offers many professional opportunities.

Guide to Getting an Herbal Education

Herbal medicine is an up-and-coming field that offers many professional opportunities. The challenge for forthcoming students is to select the herbal education program, which is more appropriate to their capabilities and professional goals.

How to Choose the Best Herbal Medicine School?

It’s important that students seeking for a good herbal medicine school get a program, which has a modern and scientific approach to herbalism.  There are some specialized schools that offer herbal medicine programs and bring campus opportunity for students.  Such schools cover the science behind  health issues, including holistic nutrition, allergies and pathologies. Above all, it also offers coursework in holistic health & lifestyles and give appropriate knowledge about food and fitness that help students to understand the interaction of moods, stress and eating. In this way, it facilitates holistic nutrition students to understand how the behavior of human leads to holistic health. So, before choosing the best school to pursue a degree in herbal medicine, get proper information about the school and its facilities. After all, getting a proper degree and certificate along with appropriate knowledge of the field is very essential, for a professional practitioner.

Major considerations include:

  • Program curriculum
  • Program cost and length
  • Certification preparation

Why Alternative Medicine is Better than Traditional Medicine?

Alternative Medicine is quite better than traditional medicine and comparing both of them is a subject of great examination and speculation.

They are briefly explained as below:

  • Traditional medicine comprises surgery, modern health science, and medical technology while alternative medicine is the accumulation of all the skills, knowledge, and practices on old theories or experiences.
  • Alternative medicine is an ancient concept and varies from place to place and person to person. Meanwhile, traditional medicine focus on the causes of diseases, remedies, and prevention.
  • Alternative practices are entirely concerned with the affected organ and its treatment while in the case of traditional medicine, surgery is required in case of an emergency like a severe accident.
  • For many diseases, traditional medicine may take a longer time to cure and have side effects but in case of herbal medicine, it treats the root cause of health condition so that the body can heal better.

Training and Education in Herbal Medicine Schools

Students can get herbal training & education through degree and certificate programs in herbal sciences and holistic health. These programs include courses like organic chemistry, anatomy physiology, herbal treatments, botany and homeopathic remedies. Additionally, physiology and anatomy courses are also common to these types of alternative medicine programs. Some degree programs may also need students to take part in externships, where they support professional herbalists or holistic practitioners.

Most of the herbal and alternative medicine colleges or schools give appropriate training and education that include syllabus like nutrition, pharmacology, botany & plant identification, biochemistry, herbalism, and so on. Many schools also teach clinical skills like record keeping and assessment too. They offer certificate programs and educational opportunities in herbalism that help a student to become a qualified professional in alternative medicine. So, one who seeks to make a career in alternative medicine, may take admission in a herbal medical school that offers degrees and certificates for this course.

Alternative Medicine Career Overview

One who wants to make career in alternative medicines will learn to treat illness through alternative medicines and dietary supplements. Other methods of prevention by practitioners are reflexology, holistic medicine, acupressure, acupuncture, etc. A practitioner of herbal medicine works to improve health by treating the condition of a person in a holistic manner. One who makes his/her career in this field gets an opportunity to assist patients suffering from various ailments. Apart from this, they can also do their own private practice or work in clinics, hospitals and other healing centers.

As per the current information, most of the practitioners are self-employed now and they choose their own options in what they feel more comfortable.

Some major career options for practitioners include:

  • Holistic Health Educator
  • Holistic Health Practitioner
  • Herbalist
  • Herbal Consultant
  • Wellness Coach
  • Lifestyle Consultant
  • Aromatherapy Consultant, Aromatherapist, or Aromatologist
  • Healthcare Industry Assistant

Why Jobs for Alternative Medicine Practitioner is Increasing Every Year?

These practicioners are primary care physicians, who are trained according to complementary and alternative medicine practice in public & private clinics. Patients are treated as per holistic persepective by keeping utmost care of their mental and physical health.  Alternative medicine practitioners spend time and make good relationships with patients, helping them to improve their health and boost cognizance of wellness. They can treat all type of problems without any side effects.

Nowadays, there are various alternative therapies, like acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, etc., which are widely accepted. Due to this, the demand for holistic or alternative medicine practioners is increasing every year.

According to NCCAM, around 40% of adults use alternative health care solutions in the U.S. as they think this is the most popular treatment. This indicates the increasing job openings for alternative medicine practitioners.

Alternative Medicine as a Career is Right Choice for Students?

The main objective of the Herbal Medicine is holistic health. Its specialty is a stringent and encompassing program introduced for the student, who is seeking a professional knowledge of herbal studies. This program is ideal for such professionals, who want to increase their knowledge in this field and integrate it into their practice. Making a career in alternative medicine bring huge opportunities for students. Whether he/she want to find a job in academia, research or clinical practice, one can make a bright career while choosing alternative medicine. There is big demand for ideal herbalists as they they make good money and help people to lead healthier lives. Therefore, it’s a fulfilling way to make lives wonderful.

Author Bio:

The author of this post is Arvind, a passionate blogger and career counselor who has written many useful posts on the health, career and education.

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