INTERNATIONAL REGISTER OF CONSULTANTS HERBALISTS

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About the IRCH Herbal Medicine Diploma and The Faculty of Traditional Herbal Medicine

The IRCH Register and distance learning course was originally established in 1960 and has been successfully producing qualified practitioners of herbal medicine ever since. It is recognised as a course of excellence by the Complementary Medical Association. The CMA represents the interests in excess of ten thousand practitioners including medial herbalists, and is now the largest multi-disciplinary professional membership body in the world.

The IRCH distance learning course is carefully structured to enable students to fit study in and around the everyday pressures of living. It is however, a course that demands commitment and a desire to reach the high standards set by the Faculty staff. The course is divided into five modules, with the lessons within each module supplemented by seminars at the Annual Conference and Summer School. The Annual Conference is an opportunity to meet students from all modules, practising herbalists and to take part in lively lectures and discussions.

The IRCH course is much more than theory. Clinical skills seminars give students the opportunity to learn about herbal medicine first hand from our experienced practitioners including case taking, examination techniques and diagnostic methods. A recognised amount of clinical training must also be undertaken at our training clinics that are situated around the country. This is on a supervised one to one basis, giving the student confidence to develop his/her own clinical practice.

Throughout the course, students are continually assessed and examinations are taken with the on-going support of tutors. All the IRCH tutors are fully qualified as medical herbalists or homoeopaths as well as experts in their particular field. Our tutors include nurses, doctors, scientists as well as academics, some of whom teach in universities. External tutors are used ad hoc for specialised areas of training. Students also have a mentor who is available to guide and support those with personal problems as well as issues around their study.

It you are interested in finding out more about the IRCH and its unique course, please contact us for a full prospectus.
The IRCH is a fully accredited member of IADL International Association for Distance Learning

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The Diploma Course in Herbal medicine

Part One
Module One Anatomy & Physiology 12 Lessons
Module Two Naturopathic Practice 10 Lessons
Module Three Herbal Materia Medica 10 Lessons

Part Two
Module Four Herbal Medicine 16 Lessons

Module Seven Practice Management 10 Lessons

Case studies
Dissertation

Part Three
Summer School with Seminars or Workshops related to the above subjects and held in June every yearn
Clinical Training One hundred minimum hours of clinical observation and learning at approved clinics.This training can commence when the student has reached module three.

Module 1
Anatomy and Physiology

The knowledge of the human body and its functions is essential to understanding of any branch of medicine, together with pathology and diagnosis. This Module, therefore, covers the basic sciences and carefully graduated lessons, together with the use of selective textbooks.

A complete survey and muscular-skeletal system is undertaken, taking the student through all areas of movement, structure and function of the osseous (bony) system and interrelated physiological processes which make up the wonderful “human machine”. Thus the student gains a thorough knowledge with which to apply his or her practice of medicine in a holistic way.

There are 10 test papers each with its own project sheet for submission for tutorial assessment. A proficiency certificate is awarded after satisfactory completion of this Module and the examination.


Module 2
Naturopathic Practice

The course introduces students to the basic principles of Naturopathy and explains how these differ from conventional medicine. After gaining an understanding of the chemistry of food, its application to improving health is coupled together with other lifestyle changes that can help restore good health. Each of the lessons is accompanied by a test paper and one or more projects that are assessed by a tutor. A proficiency certificate is awarded after satisfactory completion of this module and the examination.

Module 3
Herbal Materia Medica

The course begins with an explanation of the history and philosophy of Herbal Medicine and a definitive guide to medical terms and offers a comprehensive Materia Medica before giving a description of the methods by which herbal remedies are prepared. Each lesson is carefully planned and specially arranged so that the knowledge gained by the student may be put into practical use.

The Module offers a grounding in various classes of medicinal herbs and a broad application of each remedy is discussed. At the end of each lesson there are a number of Assignments with a Project sheet, both of which are submitted for tutorial assessment. A Proficiency Certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the Module and the examination.


Module 4
Herbal Medicine

This module deals with the clinical aspects of herbal medicine and includes diagnoses and case taking. Knowledge previously assimilated is synthesised and broadens, enabling it is application in various clinical cases. The Module works with various bodily systems, discussing some detailed pathological conditions to be encountered in the course of the practice of a trained Herbalist.

By the end of the Module, the student will be expected to submit my case histories as part of the syllabus and produce a short work in the form of a Dissertation.

Module 7
Practice Management

This module is designed to guide the graduated student in the setting up of his/her own practice. The purpose of this Module is two-fold. It not only aims to prepare the student of the ethical and practical aspects of running a Clinic but to deal with legal and financial matters, premises, planning permission and publicity. It assumes that the student has no previous experience of running this type of business and will teach you the experience of practitioners were running successful full-time clinics and in great demand in an area they have chosen to work

The success of the IRCH depends on its future and that future is within students. The Education Board aims to educate practitioners to their highest ability and is committed to their success.

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IADL