HOMEOPATHS - WHAT DO THEY DO AND WHAT ARE THEIR QUALIFICATIONS?

A homeopath is someone who understands the similarity between the patients symptoms, and a remedy in the materia medica, and who can accurately mactch them to effect cure.

A homeopath is someone who cures by treating 'like with like', that is someone who understands the truly holistic homeopathic philosophy of healing, who has learned human anatomy, physiology and pathology, some microbiology and chemistry; and naturopathy; and who has more than a passing understanding of psychology. They will have memorised a lot of materia medica by heart, and be adept at casetaking and repertorising and can prove their ability to effectively apply the relevant homeopathic methodology by curing patients with homeopathic remedies. Only those with all the above and who also have clinical experience may call themselves homeopaths.

A homeopath is not someone who has done a weekend or 'six week' course, whatever their other qualifications; or someone who has studied homeopathy as a purely academic subject. There is only one way to find out how experienced or highly trained your preferred homeopath is and that is to check their credentials.

The criterion to qualify as a homeopath varies from country to country. In India ( where homeopathy is mainstream) most homeopaths are also doctors and in France only doctors may use homeopathy and only in a limited form. In Germany practitioners of homeopathy are qualified in a multifaceted holistic discipline called 'Heilkunst', in America it varies from state to state.

Homeopathic practice is not the exclusive domain of medical doctors and in fact in some countries (like the UK) the majority of homeopaths are *lay homeopaths and will have had a more thorough training in homeopathy than most doctors. They are registered with one of the members of Council of Organisations Registering Homeopaths {CORH} and have qualified as a professional homeopath after four years training from one of the recognised colleges.

The criterion for acceptance to be registered in the UK is qualification at a recognised college, proof of a set amount of clinical experience and cured cases. They are also interviewed for suitability to practice, must have insurance and accept of the code of ethics maintained by all members of CORH, and periodically must demonstrate evidence of continued professional development. The full criterion are enshrined in the NOS (National Occupational Standards) for homeopaths developed by members of CORH. CORH was set up to develop a single register of homeopaths - all of its practitioners are equally highly qualified irrespective of which organisation they have chosen to register with: this has removed confusion in the mind of the public and unified the profession.

Additional therapies or techniques may be used by some homeopaths which are not homeopathy, but the public may think it is, because it's a homeopath using it.
e.g. dowsing, kinesiology, allergy testing, iridology, herbs or nutritional supplements, etc.
These are extra therapies offered by the homeopath, and though they may be useful they are not strictly homeopathy and shouldn't be confused with homeopathy. Homeopathy is the matching of a patient's symptoms to a homeopathic remedy according to principles laid down in the Organon

*A lay homeopath is any homeopath not also qualified as a medical doctor.