Holistic Physician Job Description, Career as a Holistic Physician, Salary, Employment

Training/Educational Requirements: Medical license and specialization in holistic medicine

Median Salary: $57,000 per year

Job Prospects: Very good

Job Description

A holistic physician is a comprehensive role within the medical world. Holistic doctors serve as a primary care physician for their patients. What sets a holistic physician apart from other types of holistic healers is the necessity for a medical license. The educational prerequisites and then on-the-job responsibilities are similar to that of a traditional physician, but with a focus on more natural and healthy ways of healing.

Holistic physicians care for their patients through a variety of alternative techniques and methods that are in coordination with holistic healing principles. Holistic doctors must look at the patient’s entire health, including mental or emotional factors, to assess the proper diagnosis and associated treatment plan. More and more patients are turning to holistic physicians as their primary care doctors, and this means that there is a necessity for holistic physicians to be well-versed in many different areas. This means that one of the responsibilities of a holistic physician involves a great deal of research and keeping up with trends and studies in the industry.

Holistic physicians work toward patient care first and foremost, and then focus their time on running their practice and keeping up with their licensing requirements. They see patients in the same manner that traditional doctors do, but they must be trained in alternative techniques, such as acupuncture, or must have relationships with specialists in all of the different areas of natural healing. Holistic physicans work with patients from consultation to diagnosis, and then they work directly with the patient through the associated treatment plan. Holistic doctors must deal with and assess the patient’s mental and emotional state, and therefore perform a certain level of psychiatric support in their role as well.

Holistic physicians look for the root cause of the illness, ailment, or health condition, which may be found in a seemingly unrelated issue or in something the patient experienced years before. Holistic doctors search to find any imbalance in the body, and search to find out if any outside factors are contributing to the patient’s condition. They work with patients on ways to actually heal the condition, rather than to just mask the symptoms, and this may demonstrate a bulk of their responsibilities.

Training/Educational Requirements

Holistic physicians are different than other natural healers because they must have a medical license. This means that they must successfully complete medical school, and they must have a current license in their home state to be able to practice. Holistic physicians must have an education in medicine and often have to go through specialized programs to practice as a holistic physician. It is necessary that a holistic physician complete any ongoing training requirements to keep their license current, and these vary by state.

It can be quite helpful for a holistic physician to keep up with their training as there are new developments in the field all the time. Holistic physicians may attend seminars or workshops in the field of holistic medicine, and are often involved in associations or specialties in the field. Any ongoing training can help them to keep current and ultimately allow them to provide better holistic care for their patients.

How to Get Hired

The best way to get hired initially is to have the appropriate educational background. It can be quite helpful to have a medical background, and many traditional doctors have made the switch to this more natural practice of medicine. Though the educational requirements are important at the beginning, gaining valuable experience in the field is what will help the holistic physician to get hired over the years.


Gaining experience working within a holistic medicine clinic and treating patients with a variety of conditions by using a variety of tactics can help holistic physicians to get hired. Patients need to be able to rely on the expertise and knowledge that a holistic physician possesses.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook, and Career Development

With the movement toward a healthier and more natural way of living, holistic medicine continues to gain attention. More patients are turning to holistic physicians to heal their ailments, and this means that there are more job opportunities available. More patients want to rely on this natural way of dealing with medical conditions, and that means there is a great increase in the demand for holistic physicians. More medical facilities are offering holistic healing and related services, and this too contributes to potential job opportunities.

Working Environment

The typical working environment for a holistic physician is typical to a traditional medical doctor’s office, but it is definitely more calm and relaxing. As holistic physicians work to analyze, deal with, and treat issues related to the physical, mental, and emotional states, there is a necessity for a calm environment. There are usually exam or treatment rooms that holistic physicians work within, and they have their own comfortable office to work within as well. They may travel to different facilities as the need dictates and certainly will travel to any seminars or training that takes place. Holistic physicians may have a need to travel to a hospital or medical facility if a patient requires the type of care only able to be found there.

Salary and Benefits

Though the average salary for a holistic physician is around $57,000 per year, there is a great range. This is a newer field and so the range is harder to predict, plus a holistic physician can cover everything from a naturopath to a homeopath, and everything in between. The range has been predicted to be anywhere from $35,000 all the way up to over $100,000. The experience that a holistic physician possesses, the number of patients treated, may have a lot to do with the salary earned. Working in a specific geographical location may cause a salary bump or dip, as will the number of tactics and methods that a holistic physician is well-versed in. Many holistic physicians work on their own or through a small or private practice, and therefore are responsible for their own benefits. If they work as part of a holisti clinic or other medical facility, holistic physicians may expect to earn standard benefits including paid vacation and holidays, as well as medical coverage.