Holistic Medicine Schools

Are you tired of paying a fortune to go to your family doctor when you are not feeling well, spending a couple of hours waiting and seeing the doctor for two minutes and walking out with a prescription that could cost you more than the doctor’s visit and still not feeling better once you have finished the prescription? Finding a doctor who practices holistic medicine may be the answer. You can find a list of holistic medicine schools and find out where their graduates are practicing.

Holistic medicine is a term that covers a great deal of ground. Acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic and homeopathy are all included under the auspices of holistic medicine. There are several accreditation councils that serve to accredit holistic medicine schools and there various programs of education. One such organization, the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) assesses educational institutions that offer naturopathic degrees. The Council accredits institutions based on criteria that show whether the curriculum offered and taught provide a an educational forum where both natural health care and scientific principles help to show both the strengths and weaknesses of natural and holistic health schools care. There are only a total of six holistic medicine schools in North America accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Examination. Graduates of these schools are licensed to see patients to both diagnose and treat their conditions with a variety of naturopathic treatments. These graduates are also licensed to prescribe various drugs and have similar privileges that doctors who are in more mainstream specialties enjoy.

There are many holistic medicine schools that offer correspondence courses in your chosen area of study. There are advantages to these such as a lower cost, the lack of need to travel to the actual school buildings and the ability to study at one’s own pace. Disadvantages include the lack of classmates to discuss the areas of study, lack of direct interaction with the instructor and the ability to ask questions and have them answered in a timely manner. Before looking for a holistic medicine school one must determine which areas of study interest them the most. Once you have decided on your specialty, you will need to assess the school of your choice’s philosophy whether they are part of the more mainstream philosophies in your discipline (Native American studies, aromatherapy, energy studies, etc.). You should always look for a good grounding in your discipline of choice from an accredited institution to get your initial degree. After you have been practicing for a time, you can explore other aspects of your discipline and branch out into areas that do not have as much research or information available to better help your patients achieve their goals.

Another source to find a holistic medicine school that would work best for you is the American Holistic Medical Association. With its headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio the board has been in existence for over 30 years. You can contact the organization directly or any one of the board members listed to consult with them about the various institutions that would be best suited for your educational needs. Following are a few of the founding principles of the American Holistic Medical Association.

The AHMA is based on the goal of optimal health. They feel you need to have your physical, spiritual, mental, emotional and environmental aspects in balance to achieve optimal health. Another principal is the healing power of love. It has been clinically shown that patients in loving relationships have a tendency to heal faster and more thoroughly than the average patient. A third principle is prevention and treatment. Too often modern medical science is concerned with the treatment of symptoms instead of being proactive and educating the public about various causes of diseases and the ways to prevent the onset of disease symptoms. The holistic approach looks at the entire patient’s life including their environment and looks to relieve not only the symptoms but to mitigate the effect of contributing factors to optimize the patient’s life and experience. Some holistic school of alternative medicine also teach deep breathing.

If you have an interest in naturopathy or holistic medicine and the various treatment options available, you can contact the American Holistic Medical Association for the best holistic medicine schools and then verify with the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education that your school of choice is accredited.