Herbalist : Employers and vacancy sources

Herbalists are usually self-employed and may work on a full-time or part-time basis. The majority of medical herbalists aim to set up their own practices after they qualify. Some herbalists choose to work from home and adapt a part of their home into a space in which to diagnose and treat patients.

More commonly, herbalists are based at complementary health clinics or herbal dispensaries, working as part of a team in conjunction with aromatherapists, shiatsu practitioners, acupuncturists or other alternative health practitioners. This may also be on a self-employed basis, renting out a room for practice. Public interest in the benefits of complementary medicine is growing and so, therefore, are opportunities in herbal medicine.

Similarly, interest in herbal medicine within the conventional medical world is also developing: a small number of herbalists work with doctors at multidisciplinary health clinics.

If you are interested in going down the consultancy route, look for vacancies on natural health product company websites.

Sources of vacancies

• The majority of medical herbalists work on a self-employed basis, developing their own practices. See self-employment for more information on setting up a business.
• The very few vacancies that arise are generally published by the in-house journals of relevant professional bodies, in particular, the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) .

Check the NIMH online register of members for details of contacts in your area if you are thinking about shadowing or visiting a herbalist.

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