How are Medical Herbalists trained?

Herbal medicine today is science based with medical training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, clinical diagnosis and medical history taking and pharmacology. The knowledge of the Materia Medica (herbs) is reinforced by the experience of practitioners’ observations and use down the ages. A herb that has had a specific use since the days of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians is not going to produce any unsuspected side effects through having been insufficiently tested!

Phytotherapy qualification is through a B.Sc. The courses may be either full time or correspondence. Correspondence course trainees are expected to complete around 500 hours a year at a designated training clinic.

Two main organisations exist for those qualified: The National Institute of Medical Herbalists and the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy.