Online Holistic Medicine Degrees

Degree and Training Programs in Holistic Medicine

Holistic medicine spans a broad variety of disciplines, including herbalism, homeopathy, and chiropractic treatment. The unifying thread is holistic medicine practitioners' belief that the whole person should be treated, rather than just specific symptoms and diseases. They believe that patients should be active participants in achieving and maintaining their own good health.

Training Programs and Courses

Holistic medicine degree programs require students to become experts in a wide variety of topics. They must be familiar with traditional medicine practices as well as alternative medicines. Typical courses for a holistic medicine degree program include herbal medicine and nutritional supplements, the mind-body connection, biochemistry and metabolism, physiology, history of alternative medicine, biomedical ethics, and biostatistics. Some students choose more specialized degree programs. For instance, chiropractor training programs focus mainly on how the spine's health contributes to overall health.

Careers for People Who Have Completed Holistic Degree Programs

Holistic healers work in many different careers. Herbalists concentrate on how herbs can be used to improve the overall health of the body. Homeopathic practitioners believe in the law of similars, that symptoms should be treated by administering a substance that elicits the same symptoms. Chiropractors adjust spine alignment to increase physical and nervous system health. Salaries for practitioners of holistic medicine can vary widely. The American Herbalist Guild reports that herbalists make between $20,000 and $120,000 per year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, chiropractors earn an average of $69,910 per year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics asserts that consumers' interest in holistic and alternative medicine is growing. There should be more and more demand for practitioners of holistic medicine in the future.