Homeopathy Doctor Career Information
Do you believe in the alternative forms of healing? Are you patient with good observational skills? Then you could become a homeopathy doctor. Here's telling you more about this form of healing.
What a Homeopathy Doctor does
Students who wish to become a homeopathy doctor should be aware of the fact that homeopathy is a system of medicine, which is based on the tenet "like cures like," i.e., substances that cause certain symptoms in a healthy person can also cure those same symptoms in someone who is sick. ‘Homeo’ means similar and ‘pathy’ means disease. A German physician Samuel Hahnemann founded it around 1800.
Homeopathy bases its cures on the fact that every person in the world has a different mental, physical and emotional setup. So, as a homeopathy doctor, you can't cure a person unless you find out his/her constitution. The uniqueness of this form of treatment lies in the fact that it believes in treating the whole person rather than the illness alone.
Therefore, a homeopathy doctor typically begins by taking detailed note of the patient's medical history, temperament, family background, family history of diseases, diet preferences, lifestyle, and emotional state. Based on these findings, the homeopathy doctor builds up a profile of symptom and then prescribes suitable homeopathic medicines. This is a highly personalized form of treatment, so patients who apparently suffer from the same illness may be prescribed different medicines.
Homeopathy has come a long way since it was first established 200 years ago as an effective form of healing. Today, many of the leading pharmaceutical companies are researching and mass-producing homeopathic medicines. The popularity of this medicine has given rise to several over-the-counter homeopathic medicines for common ailments such as cold, headaches, abdominal pain, etc. All these information will be of great value for those who wish to become a homeopathy doctor.
Homeopathy has also gained from the fact that people are beginning to shy away from allopathic medicines because of its side effects and strong doses that upset the body's equilibrium. Homeopathic medicines are inexpensive, safe and easy to use, which makes homeopathy even more popular among the masses.
Homeopathy doctors also include chiropractors, veterinarians, dentists, nurses, physician assistants, acupuncturists and certified midwives.
Job Opportunities
After completing the degree course from a homeopathy college, as a Homeopath you have many options: join a leading practitioner as an apprentice, take up a job as a lecturer at an ayurvedic/homeopathic college, diversify into other fields of medicine such as ayurveda at a later stage or start your own clinic. Once you have a degree, you can start practicing right away.
Experience is not that important, what matters is how well you diagnose the patient's symptoms and how quickly you can cure him/her.
Even though a fair majority prefers allopathic doctors, the size of the population going to homeopathic doctors is on the rise. If you have the financial backing, you could rent a clinic and start your private practice. The other alternative would be to start a clinic in your own house.
The first step to establish a clientele is to offer your services as a Homeopath to friends and neighbors either free of cost or at discounted rates. Once the credibility is established, word of mouth can do wonders.
Career Prospects
The gamut of ailments that Homeopathy can treat successfully is quite large, as claimed by modern Homeopath practitioners. It can treat heart diseases, aging, infertility, viral, fungal infections, gout, stress, asthma, stomach ulcers, liver disorder, and so on. But mostly it is believed that Homeopathy is a good medicinal option for chronic and long-term diseases. For emergency treatment and life saving conditions Homeopathy is not yet effective. But in any case, Homeopathy is becoming very popular as it addresses the root cause of a disease and cures the cause.
Another reason is that homeopathic medicines are devoid of side effects. This is because the dilution of the original drug molecule in a dosage form is extremely high. Another reason perhaps is that, in India, a large part of the population cannot bear the cost of allopathic treatment, which has gone sky high over the last few years.
Practice of Homeopathy today holds a great future with various companies investing a lot of money in homeopathic research and development. The number of homeopathic hospitals is growing all over the country. Homeopathic practitioners have now more choices of medication and access to modern methods of diagnosis and treatment.
Abilities & Traits Required
The basic requirement for any person interested in studying homeopathy is a passion for alternative forms of healing. A homeopathic doctor in many ways is like a detective - asking questions, probing into personal life and finding out reasons for the patient's illness is all part of the job. The medication and dosage is decided after taking the symptoms into account. You should have an eye for detail and the ability to dig out as many symptoms that the patient may be aware of.
Patience is an important virtue in this line, both for the doctor as well as the patient so that the former's evaluation of the situation is as correct as possible
In homeopathy, what a person says is often vital for determining the correct remedy. Therefore, it requires careful observation. On an average, the homeopath is required to spend at least an hour with every patient during the first sitting. Symptoms such as fever, diarrhea and vomiting have to be observed and tabulated. Also mental symptoms like fear, anger and love are taken into account. To do this, you have to be on a one-to-one basis with your patient.
Qualifications
Even arts and commerce students can become homeopathic doctors. It is not necessary but a definite advantage to have studied science. After passing out of school, a prospective homeopath can secure admission in a recognised homeopathic college. Some of the best homeopathy colleges are based in Calcutta and Kerela.
In Mumbai, the Homeopathic College opposite Cooper Hospital offers a BHMS degree. The entire duration of the course is five years and includes internship. Students have to undergo internship at Nanavati Hospital and the homeopathic ward of Cooper Hospital.
Several private institutes also offer several diploma courses. However, these diplomas are not always reliable and, therefore, a degree course should be preferred.
Salary
Doctors who have just started their careers or are yet to establish themselves can earn approximately Rs 450 per day. The earnings depend mainly on the popularity of the doctor and the location of the clinic.
Once you have established your own reputation, your earnings per day can go up to Rs 7000 a day. Established homeopathy doctors can charge a whopping Rs 600 per person for every visit. The doctor, of course, determines the number of patients he can see in a day. Apart from consultation fees, money is also charged for the medicines, depending on the ailment.