Practitioner Diploma

Stream 1 Schedule/Workbook 2025

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Practitioner Diploma Stream 1 Schedule/Workbook 2025

Preparing for your studies

Year 3-5 Mandatory reading:

Anne McIntyre The Complete Herbal Tutor pub. Aeon

Andrew Chevallier Encyclopaedia of Herbal Medicine

Keith Hopcroft and Vincent Forte The Symptom Sorter CRC Press

Equipment List

· Littman Classic III Stethoscope

· Sphygmomanometer/blood pressure meter, manual, not electronic

· Reflex hammer, one with a flexible handle

· Tuning fork-512-Hz is best

· An otoscope, a pocket one is fine

Navigating the Practitioner website

Log in at least once weekly and look at the forum for new posts. Comment if you wish. If you want to receive notifications of comments you need to tick the box.

The material on the website is divided into modules for the different areas of study, each with documents for that topic plus videos where there are lectures to watch.

Read the documents in for Coursework and Practice Management:

· Print a copy of the confirmation of clinic hours for clinic supervisors to sign off on your hours at any in-person clinics; otherwise, fill in the hours and name of the practitioner for Zoom clinics. You can start your clinic hours immediately.

· Print off copies of the consultation form to use with volunteers or in training clinics.

· Print off the student feedback form. These are handed to supervisors when you get to the stage of taking patients in clinic for feedback. If your clinics are on Zoom remind the practitioner you need a feedback form emailed back to you once you start taking consultations after 100 hours of observation.

Setting up a study schedule

Decide whether you want to study for an hour or two every evening, set aside a day a week, or schedule a study block each month, and stick to your schedule. If you are having problems with this, contact your tutor for advice.

Adhere to the recommended month-by-month study schedule for the systems.

· For each system, revise the AP&P from How Our Bodies Work.

· Revise the appropriate chapter in Conversations with Plants vol. 2

· Please read the chapter in Davidson’s Medicine and ensure you understand it (you do not need to learn it, but make note of anything you do not understand and ask your tutor or in training clinic). Also, be aware that this is written from a conventional medical epistemology. We study it not to be drawn into that but because many of our patients come with ideas from this, and we need to be able to understand and discuss with them. It contains some very valuable information and some that is less accurate.

· Read the appropriate Therapeutics by Systems chapter.

Practitioner Course Schedule Workbook for 3-year Programme

· This workbook is laid out month-by-month to help you orientate your studies.

· If you need help designing your study plan, your tutor or course coordinator will help you with it.

· Also, use the Learning Journal to assess how you are doing and discuss it with your tutor.

· Continue with your formative assignments from the apprenticeship.

Systems are considered within the context of the holistic approach. Therefore, some functions labelled as systems in the conventional approach are dealt with in each unit since they are functions rather than discrete systems (if such a thing exists).

· Immune function

· Neuroendocrine function

· Gender-specific health concerns

Year 3 2025

Induction session on Zoom Monday 8^th Sept ’25 7-9 pm

At this Zoom session, we will cover the areas below, and there will be an opportunity to ask any questions you have.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81764194467?pwd=TG9tUUdqNmpCNWZYRnpJNnY1NHNXUT09

Meeting ID: 817 6419 4467

Passcode: 476171

Please confirm your attendance at this Zoom meeting with the Team Office Manager.

We will cover:

· Course structure and a tour of the website

· How to get the most from the course

· Organising your studies and adjusting the study schedule to fit your needs.

· Pacing yourself

· Identifying the most suitable clinical supervisors for your approach

· What is formative work?

· Research project and business set-up project

September: An Introduction to Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology

Follow the reading protocol.

Join the Zoom student tutorial on Tuesday 16^th from 19:00 to 20:30. These sessions are recorded and made available in the Therapeutics by Systems area. Please note that this Zoom link is recurring and is used for all tutorials.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81764194467?pwd=TG9tUUdqNmpCNWZYRnpJNnY1NHNXUT09

Meeting ID: 817 6419 4467

Passcode: 476171

Clinical Examination Seminar 1 11^th-15^th September 2025

This session covers examining the abdomen, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems over three days, followed by two days of tongue and pulse diagnosis. You will need a stethoscope, otoscope, and sphygmomanometer for this class.

Face-to-face sessions will be held at the school where you are enrolled.

To prepare for this session, watch the videos detailing the techniques for the abdominal (1 hour 15 minutes, including the introduction to carrying out examinations), cardiovascular (56 minutes), and respiratory (39 minutes) examinations at least twice before attending the seminar, taking notes on any questions that arise. Additionally, read the notes on these three examinations.

October - Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems

Follow the reading protocol.

Join the Zoom student tutorial on Tuesday,7^th,from 19:00 to 20:30.

November - Respiratory System

Follow the reading protocol.

Attend the Zoom tutorial Tuesday 11^th 19.00-20.30

December - Gastrointestinal System

Follow the reading protocol.

Attend the Zoom student tutorial Tuesday 2^nd 19.00-20.30

January ‘26 - Genitourinary Systems and Introduction to Reproductive Health

Follow the same protocol for your reading.

Attend the Zoom student tutorial Tuesday 13^th 19.00-20.30

February-Musculoskeletal Systems

Follow the same protocol for your reading.

Attend the Zoom student tutorial Tuesday 3^rd 19.00-20.30

March-Introduction to Neuroendocrine System

Attend the Zoom student tutorial Tuesday 24^th 19.00-20.30

Clinical examination/differential diagnosis II and Aromatic Medicine seminar 6^th-10^th March 2026

Start work on clinical assignments.

April - What is immune function?

Follow the reading protocol.

Attend Zoom tutorial on 14^th April focusing on immune function

May - Introduction to the Integumentary System

Follow the reading protocol.

Attend the Zoom student tutorial Tuesday 26^th May 19.00-20.30

June - Understanding blood test results

Watch the recorded lecture on Understanding Blood Test Results with Marie Reilly.

Attend the Zoom student tutorial Tuesday, 23^rd June 19.00-20.30

July and August

Start working on Therapeutics assignments and continue working on case studies, revising topics studied thus far and contributing to discussion threads. Also, continue the Pharmacy Journal and Reflective Journal.

Training clinics

Over the year complete 150 hours of supervised clinics or thereabouts.

By signing up for the course, you agree that your email will be forwarded to the clinic supervisors so they can notify you of clinic dates, and you will also be sent their email addresses.

If you wish to do clinics with other practitioners, they must be 5 years qualified, and you must check with your course leader to ensure they are suitable.

Clinics tie together your learning and it is a good idea to attend ones with a range of practitioners to broaden your approach.

Be aware that each supervisor has their own approach, and we will discuss this at the induction session.

Clinical hours and taking consultations

Timing of consultations

A session should last a maximum of 1 hour. We aim for this due to the time people have available and also conserving our own energy.

This is recommended so that you do not burn out and so that patients respect time boundaries. Also, there is a limit to the amount of additional information gained when these times are exceeded; in fact, too long a consultation can leave people confused and diffused.

At an initial consultation:

20-30 minutes for asking questions/filling in the consultation form; 10 minutes for tongues/pulses/physical examination;10 minutes for designing the formula and advice;10 minutes for dispensing (or explaining the formula to your patient) and giving advice=60 minutes total

These are the maximum times.

You also need time between consultations to refuel (eat, drink, regroup, and go to the bathroom), so there should be 10-15 minutes between appointments.

For follow-ups, 10-15 minutes talking and examining; 10 minutes formulation; 10 minutes giving advice and dispensing=30 minutes total

Feedback forms from Supervisors:

It is ideal to accumulate as much written feedback in the forms as possible for your information and to put it in your portfolio.

Take feedback forms with you at face-to-face clinics for the supervisor to complete. Before an online consultation, check that the supervisor has an online form to complete. Notes on verbal feedback should be provided by the supervisor or taken and fed back to the supervisor before being included in the portfolio.

Year 4 2026

· Continuation of journals and plant profiles

· Continuation of Case studies

· 150 hours supervised clinics

· Starting planning research project and business plan

· 3-day face-to-face immersion 13^th-15^th February 2027

September 2026 Inclusivity, sustainability and decolonisation

Watch Inclusivity, Accessibility, and Diversity: Decolonising our approaches and cultural studies with Jane/Nikki. This topic is woven throughout the course, and there will be a discussion during your immersion rather than a Zoom tutorial.

Zoom tutorial on 3^rd September includes the induction into the 4^th year.

November 2026 - Mental Health by Jane Wallwork

Watch the recorded lectures

Zoom tutorial on Mental health 12^th November

December Caring for the Elders

Watch the recorded lectures.

January 2027 Acute medicine and paediatrics

Watch the recorded lectures.

Zoom tutorial on Acute medicine and paediatrics 14^th January

February Reproductive Health, Pregnancy, and Childbirth

Zoom tutorial 4^th February

3-day face-to-face immersion

13^th-15^th February (check dates with your local school as there may be some variation).

April Chronic inflammatory disease

Zoom tutorial 15^th April

May Rounding up for the Year

Zoom tutorial 27^th May

July and August 2027

Revision of each system with additional insights gained from training clinics and studying the specialities.

Year 5 2028

· 3-day face-to-face immersion date to be confirmed

· Continuation of journals and plant profiles

· Completion of case studies

· Completion of Research project

· Business set-up project

· 150 hours supervised clinics

Zoom tutorials and lectures

There are recorded lectures to watch although you have had access to these in 4th year for those who wish to complete in 2 years.

These include Diabetes, Insomnia, Thyroid health, Menopause, Caring for people with cancer, Accessibility and making accommodations for an individual’s need, Setting up in practice and business planning.

You can join 4th-year tutorials for revision, and the dates for these will be added to your events calendar. The dates for your 5^th-year induction Zoom and one in June will also be added to your calendar. These will be to round up and discuss setting up in practice.

Appendix 1 Assignments

Follow the suggested timetable to complete these tasks. While they are formative, please respect the tutor’s time by submitting your work regularly instead of in a large batch at the end. You can start working on assignments as you study, as they are formative.

Plant profiles

25 herb profiles; continue to add information to them over time, including your own experiences with the plants. The herb profiles from the Apprenticeship can be utilised and expanded upon.

Reflective Journal

Continue working on this. The reflective journal records your progress in studies, your development as a practitioner, and any interesting resources you have discovered.

Clinical Medicine Assignments due September 2026

To be completed once the self-directed study of Medicine, Clinical Examination and Differential Diagnosis and the first two lecture blocks have been taken. You can start the formative work for these as you study. They are designed to help you join up these areas of learning and clarify your understanding of clinical medicine.

10 essays of 1000 to 1500 words (this is a guideline maximum word count; alternatively, you may use bullet points or a flow diagram if you prefer).

For each of the following conditions, describe the pathology (the changes in the body associated with this condition and any subsets), the causes, the clinical signs and symptoms, and the epidemiology (who is most likely to be affected). Discuss which other conditions need to be differentially diagnosed, if applicable; outline the clinical examinations you would perform and the lab tests that may be useful. Additionally, provide a list of the pharmaceutical medications that are most commonly prescribed.

1 Hypertension/High Blood Pressure (including high cholesterol)

2 Depression and Anxiety (differentiate between the two)

3 Constipation and diarrhea

4 Eczema and psoriasis

5 Arthritis (differentiate between osteo and rheumatoid)

6 Chronic fatigue and post-viral syndrome

7 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

8 Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

9 Urinary tract infections

10 Sinusitis and rhinitis

Therapeutics Assignments due December 2026

These build on the Clinical Medicine 10 essays, so there is a further chapter to be added to these.

For the conditions, discuss which dietary and lifestyle recommendations may be beneficial. Incorporate knowledge from materia medica, as well as the herbal and medicinal applications of plants modules. Address what you believe would be the most effective herbs for treating the condition(s). Formulate a potential prescription, specifying quantities, dosages, and the form(s) in which the herbs should be used. If applicable, suggest both internal and external applications. Additionally, discuss any contraindications for the herbs. You are expected to integrate information from your training along with your own reading, learning, and experience.

Case Studies

15 case studies are to be completed over the 3 years.

Case study presentation and feedback forms

One case study is equivalent to any of the three following scenarios:

1. One initial case with at least three follow-ups

- taken personally

.- supervised by a practitioner and/or discussed with a supervisor before dispensing

2. One initial case with at least three follow-ups

- taken by another student or practitioner

- presented by another student or practitioner or personally observed them doing the consultations

- with full notes (or key conditions, red flags, medications, and pre-existing conditions if initial case notes are not present + all follow-up notes)

- with the addition of any additional questions one would have asked and the treatment one would have given.

3. A group of initial cases around a common theme/condition (e.g. Diabetes, respiratory conditions, skin conditions)

- taken personally

- supervised by a practitioner and/or discussed with a supervisor before dispensing

- to include a minimum of 3 initial cases around the same condition/system/theme

- any follow-ups can be included if less than three

In all instances, the written and/or typed case notes are submitted as the final case study, with additional commentary or an introduction and a conclusion included when appropriate.

To clarify-

If some of your case studies are only initial consultations, it is acceptable to include them; however, you would need to have a few more case studies. Ideally, group several (3-4) case studies that focus on similar conditions (e.g., three treating diabetes or, if not that, then three endocrine conditions). I hope that makes sense.

However, ideally utilise cases that include an initial consultation and at least three follow-ups.

You may use cases you have only observed if you have taken notes of the initial consultation and details of what is being treated. It does not matter if you have simply observed the follow-ups as well. There should be three follow-ups, and you should supplement the notes of what was asked and the treatment given with your own ideas. If the information from the initial consultation is not available, clearly state that, but ensure you have all information regarding red flags, such as pre-existing conditions and any medications they are taking.

Your case studies can also include observations and suggestions for other potential herbs that may be used.

Year 5 assignments

· Continuation of journals and plant profiles

· Completion of case studies

Research Project

Choose a topic of particular interest to yourself.

This may be a historical aspect, treatment of a particular condition, issues pertaining to a particular social group, a particular group of herbs, sustainability and growing herbs, teaching aids on a particular topic, formulation or medicine making, or really anything related to being a herbal medicine practitioner.

Work out how you will present it. Will it be a written document, a film/video, or something else? Will you use pictures, diagrams, photos, and so forth? It needs to be in a format that can be handed in.

Let your tutor know what you are planning to work on.

The presentation should encompass an introduction, the main body of work (perhaps methodology and results), conclusions, and proposed follow-up work.

Cite sources and references when using these. Avoid plagiarism.

There is no definitive word count since the paper may be presented in other ways, but it is basically an opportunity to research and present on a topic close to your heart.