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

5. Embrace Your Community. Plan to stay in a location for a long time and participate in your community, recommends acupuncturist Miller. Both your practice and your job satisfaction will benefit. Join your local chamber of commerce, volunteer, and offer to work pro bono, suggests Oija, Calif.-based herbalist Amanda McQuade Crawford. "You'll seed goodwill in the community. It's important to be seen as somebody who's contributing to community health and not merely setting out a shingle and taking money from sick people," she says.

Success Story

How One Man Found His Calling

Paul Faust, N.D., 37 Towson, Md.

For 10 years, Faust climbed the corporate ladder as a chemical engineer. He had a young family and a six-figure income. But at age 32 he realized he wanted to turn his hobby--natural medicine--into his career. "My job wasn't fulfilling or satisfying my life completely. I wasn't being emotionally stimulated," he explains.

Faust had first encountered natural medicine when he was 23 and visited a holistic doctor looking for a remedy for exhaustion. The diet changes and supplements his practitioner recommended made Faust's energy soar. Natural medicine became his keen interest. Ten years later, he read a book about naturopathy and realized he had found his calling.

For a year, Faust took night classes in Maryland to get the prerequisites he needed to start studying naturopathy. Then he moved with his family to Washington state so he could enroll in the naturopathy program at Bastyr University in Kenmore.

After graduation, Faust opened a practice back home in Maryland. Two years later, it is thriving and he sees 30 patients a week. "I don't even see myself retiring. This is my life's work." To people yearning for such a change, he says, "It's worth pursuing with full gusto and all your ambition. If you know where you're headed, you will be successful."

Natural Careers at a Glance
If you've been dreaming about starting anew as a healer, know these
facts. Our estimates don't include the time or cost of prerequisites.
And the income statistics are based on a thriving practice; the salary
for initial years may be significantly lower.

                                         COST OF     LENGTH OF
CAREER          PREREQUISITES           SCHOOLING     PROGRAM

Acupuncturist   At least 2 years        $25,000 to   3 to 4 years
                of college              $38,000

Ayurvedic       Some college            $3,000 to    1 to 3 years,
Practitioner    education               $10,000      typically
                                                     part time

Chiropractor    3 years of college,     $55,000 to   4 years
                emphasizing science     $70,000

Herbalist       Usually none            $2,000 to    2 to 4 years,
                                        $22,000      part-time possible

Homeopath       2 years of college to   $6,000 to    3 to 4 years,
                bachelor's degree       $15,000      typically
                with equivalent of                   part time
                pre-med major

Massage         None                    $3,000 to    6 months to 3
Therapist                               $11,000      years, part-time
                                                     possible

Naturopath      Bachelor's degree       $65,000 to   4 or more years
                with equivalent of      $80,000
                pre-reed major

Nutritionist    2 years of college to   $4,000 to    2 to 5 years
                bachelor's degree       $30,000
                with nutrition or
                similar major

Osteopath       Bachelor's degree       $80,000 to   4 years
                with equivalent of      $120,000
                pre-med major

TCM             2 years of college to   $27,000 to   3 to 4 years
Practitioner    bachelor's degree       $40,000

                ANNUAL              MORE
CAREER          INCOME           INFORMATION

Acupuncturist   $40,000 to       American Association of Oriental
                $100,000         Medicine, 888-500-7999,
                                 www.aaom.org

Ayurvedic       $40,000 to       American Ayurvedic Association,
Practitioner    $100,000         717-560-5609, www.ayurvedic
                                 association.org

Chiropractor    $70,000 to       Federation of Chiropractic
                $150,000         Licensing Boards, 970-356-3500,
                                 www.fclb.org

Herbalist       $30,000 to       American Herbalists Guild,
                $90,000          770-751-6021,
                                 www.americanherbalist.com

Homeopath       $50,000 to       National Center for Homeopathy,
                $100,000 (more   703-548-7790,
                if licensed)     www.homeopathic.org

Massage         $20,000 to       American Massage Therapy
Therapist       $50,000          Association, 847-864-0123,
                                 www.amtamassage.org

Naturopath      $40,000 to       American Association of
                $125,000         Naturopathic Physicians, 866-538-2267,
                                 www.naturopathic.org

Nutritionist    $30,000          American Dietetic Association,
                $100,000 to      800.877-1600, www.eatright.org

Osteopath       $100,000 to      American Osteopathic
                $300,000         Association, 800-621-1773,
                                 www.aoa-net.org

TCM             $40,000 to       see "Acupuncturist"
Practitioner    $100,000

SOURCES: AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION; SHIVA BARTON, N.D.; GERARD
CLUM, D.C.; DICK DENT; NANCY DUNNE, N.D.; DAVID A. FREDERICK, PH.D.
N.D.; CLAUDE GAGNON; MARC HALPER, D.C.; ROBERT IVKER, D.O.; WHITNEY
LOWE; JEROME F. MCANDREWS, D.C.; AMANDA MCQUADE CRAWFORD; JACK MILLER,
LAC.; DAVID MOLONY, LAC., PH.D.; KAREN NICHOLS, D.O.; DANA ULLMAN,
M.P.H.; U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS; STEVE WALDSTEIN;
WWW.NATURALHEALERS.COM