Having clarified your primary reasons for training or studying homeopathy you should bring in the secondary factors to help you make the final choice.

These are:

a) location – students often opt to go to a local college because traveling is easier but if the course is not right for you then it can be an expensive mistake in the longer term.

b) venue – similarly many students make the mistake of choosing a course because they like the venue. It is the course itself that should be the key factor!

c) reputation and recommendation – these can often be historical and therefore out of date – courses change over time so it is worth spending time with current final year (and if possible) graduates to see what they think of the course.

f) registration/accreditation – At present there is only one externally assessed registration system and only about a third of colleges are registered. See FAQ’s on Accreditation and registration www.collegeofpracticalhomeopathy.com for further details.

g) cost – this varies from college to college – be clear that you are comparing like with like – e.g. full time may be two or three year. In addition check what extras you have to pay for as some colleges provide clinical practice as part of a course, others require you to take (and pay) for Anatomy and Physiology Modules as an extra. You should look at the overall cost, including all extras and not just the annual cost, and then divide by number of years to get a true comparison.

e) other supporting factors – you may like to consider:

• whether the college has offices, clinics and teaching rooms in one building or is spread around as this can affect the feel of belonging to a college. Does it provide a base for a ‘community’ of student homeopaths?

• openness to new communications technology – both with providing and accessing resource materials and to taking cases by phone and by email

• Graduate and alumni programmes after graduation

Tags: academic course, alternative, clinic training, college cost, complementary medicine, health, homeopathic college, homeopaths, homeopathy, integrated teaching, location, practical homeopathy, practitioner developmentacademic course alternative clinic training college cost complementary medicine health homeopathic college homeopaths homeopathy integrated teaching location practical homeopathy practitioner development

If your primary motivation for studying homeopathy is that you just want to get a degree and homeopathy looks interesting then maybe a degree based academic course would be suitable for you. If you:

• are under 21, a University degree is probably a better bet as you can get a student loan, it will give you time to mature and explore a range of alternative and complementary medicines (but do not expect that there will be a job waiting for you on graduation – something to bear in mind when you have a loan to repay)

or

• have any severe learning difficulties or physical disabilities you should definitely consider a degree course as they have much better support systems in place than the small private providers who will not be able to match the extra support systems the Universities have access to. (Not being a confident learner is not a severe learning disability and a good course will help learn in a way that suits you best).

At this stage it is probably better to choose a course that covers a range of complementary approaches rather than specializes too early on just one area.

Also be warned some colleges are telling prospective students that a degree will be compulsory in a few years time but this is manifestly not true. (If a college tells you this – be aware – their other promises are as likely to be of the same value!).There is no intention to make a degree a requirement for entry onto a Professional Register. Indeed the sector is more concerned with whether degree based courses are capable of producing successful working homeopaths. A Degree will not lead to employment as a homeopath as there are almost no job opportunities as such for graduates in homeopathy. This is because the profession is 98% self employment – there are a few jobs in the NHS and these are normally reserved for medically qualified Doctor and Nurses with homeopathic training. Academic courses tend to focus on what is necessary to pass exams and this detracts from really understanding the underlying principles of homeopathy and how to apply them. Often leads to a very fearful student who is too frightened to practice.

At CPH our experience of current degree level courses is that they do not give the skills necessary to set up and maintain a practice. (Increasingly we are finding students who want to practice give up those courses and apply to join our courses but are at least a year behind our students).

Visit the CPH website for further information on Homeopathy, including clinics, advice, education and training http://www.college-of-practical-homeopathy.com

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If you make choices that are based on secondary factors rather than primary factors then you are likely to end up on the wrong course. The problem is people think all colleges are basically the same and therefore base their decisions on secondary factors such as location, venue, reputation, cost, individual tutors, friends etc.

Remember that choosing the wrong college and having to change can be expensive – training to be a homeopath can cost in excess of £10,000 and wasting a year on the wrong course will not only demotivate you but be expensive as well.

Our suggestion is that you get clear what your primary motivation is and then look at the secondary factors to help you decide between specific colleges.

There are three primary questions you should be asking yourself.

1) ‘Do I want a successful career as a Homeopath’

2) Do I just want to get a degree and homeopathy looks interesting?

3) Will this particular course suit me and my learning and career needs?

Whats your primary motivation - if it is

1) I want a successful career as a Homeopath’

then your first option should be to look at a practical based vocational course where your experience is taken into account and you start to see patients early on – the only real way to become a successful practitioner.

Prospective students are often confused about approaches to homeopathy – many colleges only cover the so called ‘classical’ method’ which is a bit like having a mechanic who can only work on Smart cars – there are only two colleges in the UK who provide a genuine practical training – one in North London and one in Birmingham.

For more information:

Click below to obtain or download our free guide on choosing the right course.

Visit the College of Practical Homeopathy’s ”Homeopathic Directory” to find a Cph Qualified Homeopaths, Practitioners, and Clinics in your area.

Benefit from affordable homeopathic treatment for both you and your family at the College of Practical Homeopathy’s Teaching Clinic.

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The NHS is in serious trouble - Sir Gerry Robinson’s televised attempt to sort out Rotherham General Hospital highlighted the endemic problems with the National Sickness Service - where the incentive is too keep pouring the taxpayers money into a system that creates more sickness that it solves - ideal for the drug companies whose enormous profits rely on being able to hold governments to ransom and for highly paid overpowered consultants who have always been the bane of the NHS from Day 1 - add the third factor of well meaning, poorly paid and overworked basic nursing and support staff is it any wonder that health is the last thing to come out of the NHS!

Is there an alternative ? - yes there is and that is why increasingly thinking people are turning to alternative and complementary approaches such as homeopathy and naturopathy to heal themselves and to promote healthier life styles. If you are a disillusioned soon to be redundant health professional but have managed to keep a passion for helping people see the following to see if there is a more satisfying alternative lifestyle for you.

If you:

• have an interest in health issues (your own and others)
• are concerned about current medical approaches to health
• already qualified as a nurse, Doctor, pharmacist, or alternative practitioner and interested in seeking further training in the complementary health sector
• thinking of changing career
• redundant - looking for retraining
• are fed up with your job
• are returning to work after bringing up children/illness etc
• think you have what it takes be self employed

Then training to become a homeopath or Naturopath could be a good option for you.

Find out what some our recent graduates have to say about what training to become a homeopath has done for them.

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What do homeopaths do?

Homeopathy is both a complementary and alternative medicine. Around 3,500 homeopaths practise in the UK. The profile of homeopathy is rising and so opportunities are growing. As more and more people are becoming disillusioned with modern medicine approaches there is a constantly growing demand for safer alternatives to the drug and surgery based approaches. NHS clinics can now offer homeopathy alongside traditional treatments. There are also NHS Homeopathic Hospitals in London and Edinburgh.

However most homeopaths run their own practices

Homeopaths treat people with a wide range of medical conditions. They take a ‘holistic’ approach – looking at the individual’s life as a whole, rather than just their physical symptoms. Clients come for help with a wide variety of complaints – from relatively minor conditions, e.g. headache, toothache or insomnia, to potentially more serious illnesses, e.g. asthma or arthritis. The job entails:

• meeting patients and asking questions about their condition and their wider lives
• choosing the most appropriate method of applying homeopathy.
• choosing a remedy most likely to work for each patient – either a one-off remedy or a course of treatment
• explaining how to take and store the remedy supplied
• advising on diet and other lifestyle factors
• monitoring the patient’s progress, through phone calls, email or further consultation
• keeping patient records
• advertising and publicising the practice, perhaps through talks or seminars
• managing the business accounts
• keeping up to date with developments in homeopathy and other health issues.

Homeopathy is a demanding occupation. The holistic nature of treatment means clients may confide personal and emotional problems. Building up a practice, usually through word of mouth, can be an interesting and challenging process. Some practitioners complement their work by offering other therapies, such as massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, kinesiology or nutrition.

Hours and working environment

Almost all homeopaths are self employed and run their own practice. This may be from their homes, or within a clinic as part of a wider alternative therapy practice. They may also visit patients at home. Increasingly there are opportunities available in GP surgeries or hospitals as the Government has increased the funding for complementary therapies.

Although Homeopaths may need to offer appointments in the evenings and weekends for their clients’ convenience it is increasingly accepted to deal with clients over the phone and by email and this really enhances the flexibility for homeopaths to create their own lifestyle. Each homeopath will decide what the most appropriate hours to run their business are and this varies according to personal circumstances.

It is a very flexible career option. It can be started later in life and one you can continue until you choose to stop. You can work part time only or build up a busy practice and develop in to a full time occupation with earnings increasing with the growth of the practice.

Click here to obtain and download our free guide

<< Guide 1 - Choosing a career as a Homeopath? >>.

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