Are you meant to be a healer? If you have a passion for natural medicine, your true calling is out there. Here's how to start a fulfilling career - Consumer guide: how to be an educated consumer

Natural Health, May-June, 2003 by Maria Noel Mandile

YOUR JOB SHOULD OFFER more than a paycheck. It should satisfy your desire to do good and make a difference. It should leave you invigorated, even after a long, busy day. And it should embody your, passion. If your current position lacks these qualities, it maybe time to move on. Changing your work might sound scary, but switching to a career in natural medicine can be one of the best decisions you'll ever make. You'll learn (and practice) what it takes to feel healthy and vibrant. You'll help others achieve the same. And you'll find yourself in a growing field with lots of job openings (many of them lucrative).

Your future patients are waiting for you; Americans make more than 600 million trips a year to natural medicine practitioners, which is more than they make to conventional doctors, according to a 1998 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. More generally, employment in the health services industry is expected to increase by more than 25 percent through 2010--exceeding the average growth rate of all industries, according to government statistics.

We asked experts what it takes to train for and land a career in 10 popular fields in natural healing (depending on the profession, it may be easier than you expect). Use our guide and your passion to get a head start on your new job.

Find Your Best Field

Deciding what kind of healer you'd like to become takes a careful self-assessment. For example, would you thrive in an emerging field or a more accepted one? Would you mind touching your patients as a massage therapist or chiropractor would? For details on what to expect from 10 healing professions, read on. To learn more specifics about each career, like the salary you can earn, see "Natural Careers at a Glance," opposite.

Acupuncturist

Despite the needles involved, acupuncture is a much gentler science than you might think. Practitioners believe that people possess a life energy called qi, which may cause illness if blocked or unbalanced. To correct the flow of qi, acupuncturists insert hair-thin needles into specific points on the body; the needles cause little or no pain. Some acupuncturists prescribe herbal remedies as well. Most patients seek this therapy to resolve pain-related conditions like headaches and chronic back pain; acupuncturists also commonly treat digestive and gynecological ailments.

Today, acupuncture is among the most accepted fields in natural medicine, and it has the highest rate of conventional physician referral, according to a 1998 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Acupuncturists are licensed into states. (Licensing allows you to legally practice in your field, but in some states you can practice without a license; we'll get into more licensing details in the next section.) Some insurance companies cover acupuncture. To enroll in an acupuncture school, you'll need two years of college education, although some schools prefer that you have a bachelor's degree.

Ayurvedic Practitioner

If you feel strongly that personalization is what's missing from today's medical care, consider Ayurveda. Practitioners of Ayurveda, India's traditional health care system, believe that every patient has a unique constitution, so they tailor treatment to the patient, rather than to the disease. They rely on therapies like dietary changes, herbs, massage, and yoga. They also recommend detoxification diets and fasting to promote health. Ayurvedic practitioners address an array of ailments, especially chronic ailments like digestive or skin disorders.

Americans are just learning about Ayurvedic healing, and fewer than 500 Ayurvedic practitioners practice in this country. No states license Ayurveda, so practitioners may work as consultants or practice with another kind of degree. Insurance companies usually do not cover Ayurveda. Because it is so new in this country, requirements for Ayurvedic education programs vary widely. Most schools ask that new students have some college education.

Chiropractor

Chiropractors, or D.C.s, offer mostly hands-on care. D.C.s adjust joints in the back and the rest of the body to alleviate pain and heal injuries. They believe that overall health depends on the normal function and movement of vertebrae (which make up the spinal column). Many chiropractors also use acupressure (which involves applying pressure to specific points on the body), dietary supplements, herbs, and massage. Chiropractors often treat people with spinal ailments, sports injuries, headaches, or osteoarthritis. Some D.C.s also minister to general conditions like chronic fatigue.

This discipline is one of the most accepted of all the natural therapies. Chiropractors are licensed in all 50 states. Insurance companies often cover all or part of chiropractic treatment. Most schools recommend a bachelor's degree, preferably in science, to enroll.

Herbalist

Herbalism can follow widely different career paths, making it a great choice for creative self-starters. You also need to love botany: All herbalists heal with plants in several forms (including liquid extracts, teas, and pills). You might become a folk herbalist who mainly uses mild remedies, sees few patients, and grows her own plants. Or you might opt to be a clinical herbalist and see many patients, some with serious conditions, and work in a clinic. Herbalists often remedy minor complaints like colds and chronic ailments like acne, arthritis, and premenstrual syndrome.