Is Homeopathy a good career option?

Homeopathy as a career option is best-suited for aspirants who would like to practice the system’s gentle approach to healing. The system requires its practitioners to establish a different kind of relationship with the patient than that of the conventional allopathic system practitioners.

Homeopathy as a system of medicine has evolved over the last two hundred years and is today practiced globally as an alternative to the more established allopathic medicine. Homeopathy takes a radically different route to cure the human body, as it is based on a ‘holistic’ approach and views medical conditions as the body’s external response to internal healing. Homeopaths treat their patient as a person considering the physical, emotional and also the spiritual elements of his wellbeing. The homeopath is expected to treat each person as a unique individual while homeopathic medicine works to stimulate the body’s healing ability.

Homeopathy as a career option will best suit aspirants who would like to practice the system’s gentle approach to healing. The system requires its practitioners to establish a different kind of relationship with the patient than that of the conventional allopathic system practitioners. A homeopath is expected to study the individual in great detail his likes, dislikes, habits, sleep patterns, work habits, emotional health, family background etc. You can make a successful career in the field if you have a genuine interest in healing your patient as a person and not as a medical condition to be treated with prescription drugs.     

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognised homeopathy as the second largest therapeutic system globally, so aspirants can look forward to practicing a system of medicine that is gaining increasing acceptance. It enjoys the highest level of acceptability in India and in South America. It is also widely accepted in Europe where 30 million people have benefitted from its use.

The prospects for homeopathy professionals have widened today with the increasing acceptance of the system. Also, increasing costs, the impersonal approach in allopathic medical practice is making people turn to homeopathy. Homeopathy professionals can take up positions as a medical officer or doctor at government and private homeopathic hospitals.

Alternatively, they can also specialise in several fields, including homeopathic pharmacy, pediatrics, dermatology, etc. Private practice is also a rewarding career option. Other avenues open to homeopaths include industries that involved in making homeopathy medicines available as pills, formulations, etc. Jobs are also available in the field of teaching as lecturers in colleges. Research openings are also increasing in the field. BHMS-degree holders can start their own pharmacy after gaining some experience in the field.

So apart from the academic qualifications what qualities and skills you need to have to make a successful career in homeopathic medical practice?

Empathy: Among the foremost qualities of head and heart that contribute to success in the field is empathy which about how well you relate to the other person’s pain, anguish or distress. Research has shown that empathy is both an innate ability and also something that can be developed. According to some researchers empathy is something which you pick up with your upbringing, and it is experienced rather than taught. However, attitudes like self-awareness, being non-judgmental, becoming a good listener, etc. can be developed to experience empathy.

Good listener: A successful homeopath has to possess good listening skills. They need to question the patients and listen to them even more closely to make their own assessment of the patient’s distress, anxiety, etc. They need to first win the confidence of the patients so that the patients can describe their symptoms in detail. The homeopath has to then analyse the answers to prescribe a remedy. This is one area in which homeopathy scores over a conventional medical practice in which the doctor-patient interaction mostly brief.

Open mind: Homeopathy embodies a radically different approach to healing from conventional medicine, homeopaths, therefore, need to keep learning and make it a life-long learning process. Therefore, if you do not have an open mind to learning, you will not be able to do justice to the profession. If you keep your mind open you will be able to better practice the art and science of homeopathy. 

Knowledge: Last but not the least, sound knowledge and understanding of anatomy, physiology and research methodology is key to achieving excellence in the field of homeopathic healing. Practitioners need to understand in detail, the functioning of various systems and organs of the human body and the pathologies that affect them. The homeopath needs to be well-grounded in the knowledge of the systems to accurately diagnose the patients’ malady and prescribe remedies.

Outlook

Though homeopathy remains a controversial topic in conventional medical circles, there is growing evidence that it is steadily gaining acceptance and popularity with the general public. In India, homeopathy has found acceptance and has grown in reach and size across the country, as an alternative medical practice. The debate over the practice is not likely to be settled for a long time to come, but the field will continue to appeal to young minds keen to explore an alternative to conventional medical practice. Thanks to the growing public interest they can now indulge their passion, secure in the knowledge of a bright future in its practice.