Guest guest Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 Hi Roger and thanks for the feedback. I appreciate knowing I'm not leaving any major gaps in the info I'm passing on. I find it ironic, given the current threads, and given the vast body of knowledge that this group, for instance, represents that there isn't more interest/leadership/collective clout in forming a licensing body that is connected with an accredited institution recognized by the DOE. Current threads being discouraging research - throwing the baby and the bath water out; experience showing that CM (read, our pharmacopeia) is unable to effect cure only palliation; etc etc. If there were a vote mine would be to run with TCM and the gold standard insofaras evidence based research goes. Oh by the way I appreciate your experience with NCCAOM-certified practitioners. Interesting. While not nearly comparable in rigor as the Calif Board exam, I found the NCCAOM exam to be a fair, objective standard exam in terms of the profession starting <somewhere> with certification. I took it in '99. With respect to your suggestion, perhaps in an ideal world the Calif Board exam could separate the herbal portion of the exam, like the NCCAOM does, so that non-acupuncturists could sit for it. Of course that won't happen until, as I said, an accredited herbology institution is part of the licensing infrastructure. cheers and thanks again, -pz > Pamela, > > There continues to be a lot of confusion over the > certification/licensing of herbalists. > > In a nutshell: > > As an " herbalist " , Chinese or otherwise, one does not require a > license anywhere in the U.S. and in most countries of the British > Commonwealth of nations. This is based on common law precedents that > have only in the past decade become better known by alternative > health people ar large. Though I continually receive inquiries from > visitors to my website about herbal " licensing " . There is no such > thing or such a requirement. > > Various professions, such as naturopathy, and acupuncturists in a > few states, include herbs in their scope of practice, but this does > not restrict the ability of others to use herbs and to call > themselves herbalists. > > The NCAAOM is **not** a licensing body itself. Its acupuncture > exam is used a major criteria for licensing in many states. However, > its herbology certification exam is not the basis of licensing of > herbalists anywhere, to my knowledge. Moreover, I believe its > policies to be highly discriminatory toward non-acupuncturists who > wish to qualify. > > The American Herbalists Guild has a Chinese herbal certification > based on peer review and evaluation of several written case studies > that the candidate presents. > > The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) in the UK is a > private, non-governmental body that certifies Chinese herbalists, > without requiring any specific knowledge of acupuncture as a > prerequisite. I think its certification consists of peer review, > presentation of cases, and an exam, but I'm not sure about details. > The RCHM, last I checked, had a requirement that members carry > professional liability insurance, which might be fine in the UK, but > irrelevant in countries where it is not even available. > > > > I have a 'How to find a qualified herbalist' on the RMHI website at: > http://www.rmhiherbal.org/a/c.healthqa.html > from which you might pick up some ideas. > > I wrote it many years ago after a former client of mine needed a > referral in a distant city. I used the NCCAOM Chinese herbology > directory, and my former client was very dissatisfied with all 4 > people I found listed in the directory. None of them seemed to know > how to do the basics of a TCM pattern assessment workup, but instead > recommended anm herbal formula based exclusively on the medical > diagnosis. I'm sure there are qualified NCCAOM certificate holders, > but this experience led me to question how these people ever got > certified. It's my understanding that while the NCCAOM certification > currently requires an exam, many people initially qualified by peer > review based on documented experience and qualifications. > > Due to the difficulty in verifying the validity of international > diplomas and certificates, I believe that what is needed is a Chinese > herbal certification based primarily on a mandatory objective exam, > and which does not discriminate against non-acupuncturists, or > against people who studied by apprenticeships with independent > practitioners (not affiliated with accredited schools). > > These days, I've found that the most reliable way to find a qualified > practitioner is to ask on groups like these. Owning a college degree > and various pieces of paper these days seems to have very little > relationship with ability or skill. Caveat emptor. > > Roger > > > > > > > Pamela Zilavy <yinyang > >herbalist certification > > > >Besides NCCAOM, is there any other licensing body out there for > >herbalists? I had a chat with a neurologist doing a study of drug-herb > >interactions in his neurology practice, and found he had little > knowledge > >of the education involved in getting California Board and/or NCCAOM > >licensure. So, I'm putting together a one page resource listing for him > >on 'How to find a qualified herbalist' > > > >I recall some controversial threads about what qualifies one to be an > >herbalist. I don't want to add to the controversy. I certainly believe > >and know folks who are certainly qualified without having some silly > >piece of paper. The degree does not the scholar make. But for this > >particular audience, I just ask the academy members for info about > >licensing or certifying bodies out there. > > > >Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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