Choosing to pursue a Holistic Medicine Degree can help align your career with a full-body wellness approach to care. Holistic health practitioners enjoy salaries of more than $80,000 per year depending on their specialties and education.
More and more people are stepping out of the traditional medicine rolls and choosing holistic and alternative medicine. The opportunity to combine a whole-body health approach with more traditional medical approaches is growing as well. Most people use a combination of traditional and alternative therapies in their day-to-day health.
If you are considering a career in holistic medicine, these tips will help you get started today!
Tip 1 – Understand Holistic Medicine and How You Can Fit Into the Field
The first step to understanding your possible career choices is to understand what exactly is included within the holistic medicine degree programs. Holistic medicine considers the whole person in the healing process. Many professions include aspects of holistic medicine in their treatment of individuals, including medical doctors, chiropractors, dentists, therapists, and trainers.
Because holistic medicine is an approach to treating the whole body, it can be confusing when thinking of what is considered holistic vs. traditional medicine. Typically, holistic medicine is a combination of traditional medicine and alternative medicines. The term “complementary and alternative medicine” is often abbreviated as CAM.
So, what is alternative medicine? Alternative medicine includes treatments and practices that are not part of the standard medical care but complementary to traditional treatments, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Some of these practices include:
- Chelation therapy
- Acupuncture
- Homeopathy
- Naturopathy
- Chinese medicine
- Chiropractic
- Massage
- Body movement therapies
- Yoga
- Dietary supplements
- Electromagnetic therapy
- Reiki
- Meditation
- Hypnosis
There are so many CAM-based treatments that it would be hard to list them all. The goal of these treatments is to find a combination of therapies to help any individual in the best possible way for their body.
Tip 2 – Find the Right Program for You
Getting a degree in alternative medicine offers versatile career opportunities.
Find a college that fits the holistic medicine degree that you need. Some colleges will only specialize in alternative medicine information, while others will combine their alternative medicine courses with general education courses.
Program objectives are essential for you to understand before choosing a program. Within the holistic medicine degree programs, there are a lot of choices and variety.
The benefit of finding a program that also includes general education courses is that you will obtain a universally accepted bachelor’s degree at completion. This type of degree will enable you to easily translate your education into a variety of careers.
At Everglades University, our Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Alternative Medicine provides the prerequisites and foundation that you can use to go on and further your education in various pre-med and healthcare-focused programs. With this degree, you can also get started in entry-level careers in the alternative medicine environment.
Some possible industries you could work in with a bachelor’s degree include:
- Healthcare
- Sports
- Rehabilitation
- Management
- Spas
- Leisure
- Beauty
- Personal Coaching
Tip 3 – Pick Your Track or Specialization
This tip is essential to guiding you on your career choices. There are two main tracks that should be considered before you choose a college.
The Alternative Medicine Track
- Great for anyone going into non-medical fields
- Works well as an addition to other majors
- Concentrates on overall health and wellness
The Science Track
- For anyone wanting to continue their education in the medical field
- Includes advanced study of biology, chemistry, and physics
- More science-based
The track you choose will guide you in your specializations as well. Chiropractic, Massage, and Psychology are all areas that people can specialize as they further develop their careers. Nutrition, herbal remedies, and acupuncture are some other specializations. The choices are endless and depend on the other coursework you decide to include in your program as well as outside internships and practicums that you participate in.
Tip 4 – Be Prepared to Always Be Learning
A holistic medicine degree is perfect for anyone who enjoys continuing to learn. Because this industry is constantly evolving and growing, you must love to evolve and grow as well. People who thrive on change and learning do best in the alternative medicine areas.
Part of your job will be to continually assess how your work is helping the people you are working with and make adjustments as needed. This passion for helping people will certainly help you grow in your career as well.
For example, if you want to use your degree to be a health and wellness coach, you should volunteer to work with another coach during your education. This is an ideal way to learn what clients are looking for and help you adapt your training and education so you can excel after you have finished your degree.
Tip 5 – Adapt and Experience
While in school, it is important to continue to adapt and experience as much as possible.
While in school, it is important to continue to adapt and experience as much as possible. Taking on internships and hands-on learning opportunities is a great way to gain more knowledge in your field of interest.
Find a program that encourages you to work, volunteer, and learn throughout the training process. This will help you to feel more comfortable in your field and is essential to helping you determine which specialization you feel most drawn to.
How to Get Started in Your Holistic Medicine Career
At Everglades University, our degree in holistic medicine has many valuable benefits for our students.
Studying in an alternative medicine degree program is a rewarding and exciting experience.
Easily Apply Online
Take charge of your future career in holistic medicine by applying online to Everglades University! Our application process is easy to do, and our friendly admissions staff can answer any questions that you may have. Start your journey by applying online today.
Apply for Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to both online and on-campus students to those who qualify. This includes; grants, loans and scholarships available.
Choose Your Location
Everglades University offers holistic medicine classes both on-campus and online. This degree in holistic medicine program is a perfect option for busy professionals who want to earn their degrees while also working. This extremely flexible program allows students to choose what works best for their schedule.
Focus on What You Love
You can incorporate a holistic approach in sports, rehabilitation, spas, beauty, and healthcare. This flexibility makes a degree in holistic medicine an excellent option for students who may want to focus their careers on a specific kind of care.
Enjoy Small Class Sizes
Students can take advantage of their education within a smaller classroom. Many of our classes are limited to a small number of students to serve them better. Our talented professors and support staff get to know students individually instead of just a name in a roster. Both online and in-person classes are small to help add to the overall experience.
Meet the Faculty
Everglades University has a wide range of professors and faculty dedicated to helping you succeed in many different locations. Our teaching positions are all taught by professors who have either an advanced Master’s degree or a doctorate in the field. Learn more about our faculty and how they can help you reach your goals!
Be a Part of Our Success
The world is taking note of Everglades University! We have had the privilege of receiving multiple awards in recent years that point to our extensive knowledge in online learning and new programming. Some of our most recent accolades include:
- 2021
- Ranked #1 Best Fully Online College by Stacker
- Ranked #8 Best Online Colleges in America by Niche.com
- 2020
- Classified as a 2020 Best College by Money Magazine
- Recognized as a Top Military Friendly School by MilitaryFriendly.com
- Ranked #16 for Best Online Colleges in Florida by Study.com
- President Kristi Mollis was ranked in 2020 Top 10 Women-Led-Not for Profit Organizations in Florida for the 7th consecutive year by Commonwealth Institute.
Get Started!
At Everglades University, our Alternative Medicine Degree program is offered on campus and online. The program is designed for busy professionals and extremely flexible. We specialize in helping you design the program that will work best for you no matter what profession you want to enter. You can incorporate a holistic approach in industries like sports, rehabilitation, spas, beauty, and healthcare.
It has never been easier to enroll and get started earning your holistic medicine degree. Take control of your life today! Enroll in the online Bachelor of Science Degree in Alternative Medicine at Everglades University now and within a few short years, you will be making a difference!
Call us today to discuss your future in academic endeavors (888) 854-8308 or request more information online.
