FAQs
Herb FAQs
- Will I also need to do any study at home?
- How early in the course will I start clinical experience?
- Is there a Herbal Dispensary?
- Can I qualify in Patents?
- Will I get a qualification in dispensing raw herbs?
- What does the MSc dissertation involve?
- Who teaches on the herb course?
- Will I get the chance to see Chinese herbs growing?
More FAQs can be found under the Admissions section.
Q: Will I also need to do any study at home?
A: Definitely. As this is a postgraduate course you will need to be more independent in your study. You will probably need to set aside around 10 hours per week for your home studies. In the first year you will learn about 200 herbs and around 100 formulas but as we have a herbal pharmacy at the College you are able to see, touch and taste the herbs and you can even take samples home.
On the Masters programme you are required to work independently on your research with only a few days attendance in College.
People vary in their ability, and the time that they have available to study, but these figures are a rough guide.
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Q: How early in the course will I start clinical experience?
A: On the Herbal Medicine course diagnostic techniques are illustrated through participation in case studies, role play and other experiential exercises. There are opportunities throughout the course to observe, assist and work with patients in a clinical setting. Students work in the Clinic with a number of senior clinicians to gain a range of perspectives and approaches to treatment with a variety of patients and conditions. In addition there is plenty of opportunity to discuss patients in a group setting to gain the benefit of interaction with fellow students.
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Q: Is there a Herbal Dispensary?
A: Yes. Our herbal dispensary is used by students to become familiar with the herbs themselves. It is well stocked with all the herbs covered on the herbal medicine courses, and many other weird and wonderful things. There are over 200 raw herbs and a selection of patent herbal remedies, which are used to fulfil almost all of the prescriptions from the on-site herbs clinic. We have very tight quality control and our herbs are purchased only from RCHM-approved suppliers, who follow strict traceability and ethical guidelines.
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A: Yes you will receive a Postgraduate Certificate in Patent Herbal Medicine at the end of your first year of our Herbs programme, although you will learn a lot more than just patents in this time.
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Q: Will I get a qualification in dispensing raw herbs?
A: Yes. During the first year of the Postgraduate herbs programme you will attend a 2 day course at the Chinese Herb Garden in Bristol practical Dispensing & Pharmacognosy with one day in London covering the legal aspects. Successful completion of this module will lead to an RCHM Dispensary certificate. This course incorporates all the legal requirements of the EHTPA accreditation requirements for the teaching of Chinese Herbal Medicine but could be equally suitable for other systems of herbal medicine.
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Q: What does the MSc dissertation involve?
A: A: Your MSc research dissertation will be around 15,000 words long. In this one year unit you will have 7 days attendance at the start of the course to learn about advanced research methodology and statistics. On the course you will be assigned a supervisor to help you through the year. Your supervisor will have a lot of experience in both research and Oriental herbal medicine.
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Q: Who teaches on the herb course?
A: Ana-Maria Lavin, Ken Lloyd, Huide Jin, Amanda Ody and Xian Li Kang. In the second year of the course guest lecturers attend the College to teach about their specialist subject. In the past these have included Mazin Al-Khafaji, Giovanni Maciocia, Arnaud Versluys and Michael McIntyre. For more information on our teaching staff see the staff biographies.
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Q: Will I get the chance to see Chinese herbs growing?
A: Yes you can see many Chinese herbs growing at the Chinese Herb Garden in Bristol. You will also get the chance to spend a day at Kew Gardens.
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