Expert: R. Scott Malone L.Ac. - 7/23/2009

Question
Good day!
I feel very lost in the world of alternative medicine. It seems to many people want to study and practice it for profit. Schools are designed for young college students to pay for costly tuition and textbooks, so they can earn certificates and degrees that promise higher pay checks in their futures.
But I want to learn. Western medicine, yoga, tai chi, etc all fascinate me. I believe that I could eventually use these means to help myself, and then use what knowledge I've gained to help others. Also, picking up a skill like Shiatsu touch would help me supplement some income to get by.
How can I become actually educated in western medicine? I would like to meet an amazing person who I admire and apprentice for them. How can I prepare myself beside reading and practicing?
Sorry this is so vague, I just feel so lost. My main goal is to harness a skill, while continuing to practice and learn as the years go on.
Thank you!
-amanda

Answer
Hey Amanda!

You will find in every healing profession eastern or western that there are technicians that are more like mechanics and there are healers. I was teaching 5 element theory and acupressure at the Denver School of Massage Therapy and every new class would start with a circle and all the students explaining why they were there. There were many stories of people with a family member that had some injury or debilitating illness. They were upset at not being able to help their pain and decided to learn something that could offer solace. They came to the school out of genuine compassion. Then there would be some guy who would say something like,
"I'm tired of making minimum wage, I hear you can make $50-$75 an hour. Those folks usually didn't last.

All schools are geared to turn a profit, and the people that go into practice need to expect to turn a profit, or they won't be able to stay in practice and help people.

So I'm assuming that you are interested in acupuncture and oriental medicine.
If you are interested in being an apprentice, you need to look at your state laws and see if that is still an acceptable path licensure. If not, you may need to look for a personal teacher after you graduate.

Decide what discipline you want to study, which one calls to you, and take steps to get into school. What does it take to get in? What educational pre-reqs do you need? How much money is it going to cost? Do they offer student loans?

Pick one thing and dedicate yourself to getting good at it. Jack of all trades, master of none.
Train one thing until you attain proficiency and then if there is something else that draws you look into it, but don't try to take in everything or you won't be good at any of them.

In martial arts, you can spend 4 years to get a blackbelt and then move into other arts and get a lot out of it because you have a deep knowledge base to draw from. If you spent 4 years training one year in a different martial art each year, you still would be a novice.

SO, pick what you want to do, take concrete steps to get into school and then apply.
You can read a thousand books on playing the piano and unless you sit down at one and practice, you will never know how to play. You get better by doing, and the best place to do that is in school. There is no magic way to get into practice, make preparations and go to school.



I hope that helps, feel free to ask me any more questions in the future and GOOD LUCK!!

R. Scott Malone L.Ac.