Why Study Naturopathy 1260x542
31 Mar 2010

Why study naturopathy?

2 mins to read
Like the idea of people taking responsibility for their own health and interested in preventive health care? There couldn't be a more exciting time to study naturopathy, says Southern Cross University's Dr Hans Wohlmuth in our exclusive interview.


Q. Jennifer Pinkerton: What spurred SCU to start a bachelor degree in naturopathy, and what does the course offer (how does it give students an edge)?

A. Hans Wohlmuth: The Bachelor of Naturopathy at SCU started in 1995 and was both novel and controversial at the time, as it was the first university course of its kind in the country. With the dramatic increase in the use of complementary medicine in Australia in the 1990s it was innovative but also timely for the university sector to embrace the field.

Q. JP: Why should students opt for a bachelor's degree over other forms of naturopathic study?

A. HW: A bachelor degree is the new educational benchmark for naturopaths. Already, many naturopaths have degree qualifications and many others are in the process of upgrading their advanced diploma qualifications to degrees.

Studying naturopathy at a university not only means that students graduate with an internationally recognised university qualification; it also means being taught by academic staff who are leaders in their field – they are active researchers or experienced clinicians, or both. University education places much emphasis on the ability to think and evaluate information critically – a skill that is useful in all aspects of life.

Universities also offer their students unrivalled resources – extensive library resources, well-equipped laboratories, comprehensive student support systems and, in the case of Southern Cross University, a fantastic medicinal plant garden. This garden, which houses medicinal plants from around the world and is used in both teaching and research, has just undergone a major expansion made possible by a generous donation by Marcus Blackmore AM, the chairman of Blackmores.

Q. JP: Does the rise in Australians' demand for complementary medicines have an impact on naturopathy students? How will this impact future graduates?

A. HW: Complementary medicine is now used by around three quarters of all Australians, and has become far more mainstream than it was even just a decade ago.

The public expects naturopathic practitioners to be highly skilled professionals who are up to date with developments in their field and can liaise with other health professionals. They want the best and most appropriate health care for their problems; they don't want to be caught up in a debate about alternative versus mainstream medicine.

Naturopathy, with its emphasis on prevention and a healthy lifestyle, has an enormous contribution to make to the health care of Australia's ageing population. Unfortunately, the current lack of proper professional regulation is an obstacle to naturopathic medicine taking its rightful place in the Australian health care system, but it's only a matter of time before this will change.

Q. JP: What are the most compelling reasons to study and practise naturopathy?

A. HW: If you like the idea of people taking responsibility for their own health and you are interested in preventive health care, a healthy diet and lifestyle and the use of medicines from plants, then there couldn't be a more exciting time to study naturopathy.

Research in the field of natural medicine is gathering momentum and the public is using natural medicine on an unprecedented scale.

Dr Hans Wohlmuth is a medicinal plant scientist and senior lecturer in complementary medicine at Southern Cross University in Lismore, on the far North Coast of NSW.



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