Masters Degree Graduate Accredited Online College Programs

Online Degrees in Alternative Medicine

The following universities offer accredited online degree programs in alternative medicine. Topics include nutrition, traditional chinese medicine, herbology, and more.

Alternative medicine is the study and practice of how the body heals itself. Rather than subjecting patients to drugs and invasive surgeries to root out diseases, alternative medicine looks for the root of the problem. Healers look to remove blocks to natural healing and use herbalists' skills, holistic nutrition, and other non-invasive homeopathy techniques.

What is alternative medicine?

Alternative medicine encompasses systems of medical practice that are distinct from western allopathic medicine, as defined by the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) curriculum. Generally, alternative medicine is focused on treating the causes of illness, rather than their symptoms, through natural, non-toxic methods. Major systems of alternative medicine include homeopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, and Ayurveda.

The Center for complementary and Alternative Medicine provides these definitions of the above forms of complementary medicine:

Naturopathy: Working with natural healing forces within the body to help the body heal from disease and attain better health. Practices may include herbal medicines, dietary modifications, massage, exercise, acupuncture, and minor surgery.

Ayurveda: Medical system practiced primarily in the Indian subcontinent for 5,000 years. Ayurveda includes diet and herbal remedies and emphasizes the use of body, mind, and spirit in disease prevention and treatment.

Homeopathy: Using highly diluted quantities of medicinal substances to cure symptoms, when the same substances given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms.

It is important to note that holistic healing therapies are either used as an alternative or in conjunction with conventional western medicine. When used in conjunction, the holistic health practitioner can be said to be practicing complementary or integrative medicine.

Alternative Medicine Careers

Interested in starting a career in Alternative Medicine? Consider some of these promising alternative and holistic medicine findings:

According to a 1997 survey in the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than 42 percent of Americans used at least 1 of 16 alternative therapies during the previous year.
A recent report by Institute for Alternative Futures, estimates that two-thirds of the U.S. population will use alternative and complementary medicine measures by 2010, up from one-third in 1990. The IAF report also notes that the number of Health Care professionals (including physicians) trained in Chinese medicine will increase to 24,000 by 2010.
Of 3,200 physicians surveyed by Health Products Research in 2000, 50 percent planned to begin or increase homeopathic and holistic therapies the following year.