In our society, many people are convinced that the conventional or "Western" way of treating medical ailments is the only way. While in the face of illness, it is always good to consult with your general practicing physician, it's also good to keep your mind open to other forms of treatment. Many Westerners are initially skeptical about the effectiveness of alternative medicine, but after giving it a try, are convinced of its amazing health benefits.

If you choose to pursue a career in alternative medicine, you will learn to take approaches to illness that are much different from the ones you see on primetime TV emergency room dramas. Undeniably, there are a multitude of pathways you can take in the field alternative medicine. For instance, you might pursue a modality within traditional Chinese medicine, such as "cupping," or you may prefer something completely different. With a career in alternative medicine, you are likely to be learning practices that have been passed down for centuries, so it is of the utmost important that you devote yourself fully to your craft and to your desire to help others. Practitioners of alternative medicine believe in the interconnectedness of the body. As a result, they do not usually treat individual symptoms, but rather, the body as a whole.

Some practitioners of alternative medicine are employed at spas, while many others are self-employed, working from their homes or private offices. Additionally, some practitioners of alternative medicine can be found working in clinics or hospitals, although this is less common. The field of alternative medicine is incredibly diverse, and so are the salaries that alternative medicine practitioners can earn.

Career Specializations

Alternative medicine is an incredibly broad career, so there are many possibilities for specialization. The following are only a handful:

• Acupuncturist: To treat illness and promote general health, acupuncturists insert needles into key points on the body. Contrary to what one might think, the needles actually serve to lessen pain by stimulating nerves, connective tissues, and muscles.
• Doula: Since the beginning of human kind, women have been having babies outside of hospitals. Actually, some women say that childbirth is too momentous of an occasion to be numbed by an epidural while it is taking place. For women who would rather bring children into the world in a more natural manner, a doula is there to provide support before, during, and after birth.
• Reiki Healer: A form of alternative medicine that originates from 19th century Japan, Reiki healing uses gentle forms of non-invasive touches to stabilize the invisible force of energy surrounding clients. This form of alternative medicine is meant to reduce stress and stimulate the body's natural self-healing abilities.

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Available Degree Levels

• Certification: Completion time varies according to program
• Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree: 2 years to complete
• Doctoral Degree: 4-6 year to complete

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Education & Certification

The education that will be required of you as a practitioner of alternative medicine will largely depend on the type of alternative medicine you want to practice and what you want to do with it. Educational requirements range anywhere from certification to a doctoral degree. Certification programs are available at various specialty schools around the nation and vary in length and by the extent of their academic rigor. In addition to certification programs, some specialties within alternative medicine expect students to complete apprenticeships. Moreover, for those looking to spend many hours studying alternative medicine, there is the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program to strengthen your knowledge of natural healing techniques.

Importantly, your educational requirements will also vary according to where you live. For instance, some states require aspiring acupuncturists to become licensed by passing the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine exam.

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Salary Information

Your annual income in alternative medicine will vary substantially according to where you practice, the form of alternative medicine you practice, your reputation as a practitioner of alternative medicine, the extent of your client base, and your level of experience. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), those working in the "offices of other health practitioners" industry (a category that includes practitioners of alternative medicine) earned average hourly wages of $19.35 in 2008. (BLS)

Many practitioners of alternative medicine, especially those in private practice, do not accept forms of health insurance as payment for their services. As a result, customers are responsible for the entire cost of these alternative healthcare services. To save themselves from bankruptcy, private practitioners of alternative medicine should only work in communities where people can afford to pay out-of-pocket for treatment.

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Job Outlook

Practitioners of alternative medicine face wide popularity among frequenters of spas. For this reason, many jobs exist and will continue to exist in the spa industry. In general, practitioners of alternative medicine have a positive job outlook because of the increasing attention being paid to health in the United States. After hearing that now we have a generation of Americans who have a shorter life span than the one before it, Americans have become frightened into changing their behavior and habits in order to improve their health. As a consequence, they may also be more receptive to alternative forms of treatment than they have been in the past.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for the "offices of other health practitioners" industry is expected to grow by a whopping 41.3 percent over the 2008 to 2018 decade. Considering that the predicted growth for all occupations is only 11 percent, practitioners of alternative medicine face an incredibly favorable job outlook. Of all industries in healthcare, the BLS has predicted that the "offices of other health practitioners" industry will experience the second-greatest growth in employment over the projection period. (BLS)

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Related Careers

If you are interested in pursuing alternative medicine, you should also think about a career in nutrition. With this career, you could have a substantial impact on peoples' emotional, mental, and physical health simply by changing the type of food they consume. Become a nutritionist, and you could eventually help the American population realize that there are plenty of tasty foods that are not loaded with butter, sugar, and salt.

Another career consideration could be in massage therapy. With this career, you will use many different hand techniques to release muscle tension, stabilize the emotions, and grant serenity to your clients. In order to be a successful massage therapist, you should have a thorough understanding of human anatomy and be comfortable physically working with a wide variety of peopleTo fully prepare for the career, you should complete an accredited massage therapy certification program, which will take anywhere from six months to one year to complete.

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