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

Nutritionist

Nutritionists and registered dietitians (or R.D.s, nutrition students who have met specific requirements of the American Dietetic Association) create diet plans and recommend vitamin, mineral, and other supplements to help patients regain, or maintain their health. As a nutritionist, you might assist people who are overweight or have diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. It's a perfect career choice if you view food as the simplest path to health.

All states license registered dietitians, but only a handful license nutritionists. Many insurers cover therapy from R.D.s; however, therapy from a nutritionist is rarely covered. To enroll in a program to become a nutritionist or an R.D., you need two years of college to a bachelor's degree with a nutrition or similar major.

Osteopathic Physician

The training of osteopathic physicians, or D.O.s, resembles that of conventional medical doctors. But there's a profound difference: Osteopathic physicians view health holistically and they use a manual technique called osteopathic manipulation to align the body's muscle-and-bone system. They believe that balancing this system helps the body to heal itself and reduces the need for conventional drugs and surgery. They also attempt to correct the cause of an illness, rather than just treating symptoms. Because D.O.s perform all kinds of medicine, from surgery to family practice, they see a wide range of patients.

D.O.s are licensed in all 50 states, and their services are covered by insurance.

To become an osteopathic physician, you will need a bachelor's degree with the equivalent of a pre-reed major.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Do you believe in balance, moderation, and harmony? Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners consider these attributes central to good health. They use bodywork (like massage), dietary changes, acupuncture, and therapeutic exercise like tai chi or qi gong and usually prescribe herb formulas rather than a single herb (as Western herbalists do).

About 40 states license this profession. Insurance may cover TCM in the states where it is licensed. The same schools that provide acupuncture degrees prepare you to practice traditional Chinese medicine, but programs vary. To enroll in a school, you'll need two years of college education, although some schools prefer that you have a bachelor's degree.

Shop for the Strongest School

You may need as little as one year of school to switch to a career in natural medicine. Follow these steps to get a great education.

1. Know Your State's Requirements.

To practice medicine legally, you need a license from your state. (States generally define "practice" as diagnosing illnesses and prescribing treatments.) Holding a license increases the likelihood that your patients will receive insurance coverage and that conventional doctors will refer patients to you. If you want to become licensed, check out your state's requirements by calling the health department, and then look for a school whose curriculum prepares you to meet those requirements.