Career Opportunities in Alternative Healthcare

By Karen Lawson
Karen.Lawson@medicalhealthcarecareerschools.com
Medical Health Care Career Schools Columnist

In 1996, a survey conducted by Prevention Magazine found that one out of three respondents experienced great stress more than once a week. In an effort to reduce stress and achieve healthier lifestyles, we are turning to alternative health fields such as meditation, therapeutic massage, and herbal medicine. If you are interested in alternative healthcare, education in an alternative healthcare field can lead to a fulfilling career.

Multiple Modalities Provide Options for Care and Careers

There are many types of alternative healthcare. The following examples illustrate the broad variety of disciplines within complementary and alternative healthcare:

Diet and Nutrition (organic food, nutritional supplements)
Herbal medicine
Manual healing (massage therapy, deep massage techniques, touch therapy)
Mind/Body connections (Holistic approach)
Pharmacological/biomedical research

In 2002, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) found that 36 percent of adults in the United States have used some form of alternative healthcare, not including prayer or multiple vitamins. As interest in alternative healthcare increases, many healthcare practitioners are incorporating alternative methods as part of their traditional practice. This further increases career opportunities for alternative healthcare providers.
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Alternative Healthcare: Being Well

Many practitioners of alternative healthcare were introduced to it through treatment. Have you ever wondered why you feel so great after massage therapy? Are you interested in the healing powers of herbs and botanicals? An alternative healthcare education program can provide the first steps toward a new career.

Sources
National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine
stress.org

About the author
Karen Lawson is a freelance writer whose interests include herbal medicine and medical humanities. She earned an MA degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Posted on: March 24, 2006