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2023 Alternative Medical Support Services Degree Guide

Alternative and complementary medical support services can include midwifery or doctor of alternative medicine - also referred to as a naturopath. While non-traditional, each career is growing in popularity.

You may wonder what the difference between a nurse midwife and direct-entry midwife is. Direct-entry midwives become midwives without first getting a nursing degree. At a minimum, direct entry midwives must attend school to get a midwifery certificate as well as apprentice with a full-time midwife to get on the job training. Depending on state law, midwives may be required to get a related degree in nursing or natural medicine.

Most direct-entry midwives practice directly with clients and perform birth services in the client's home or in their private practice. Nurse-midwives have a nursing degree with a specialization in midwifery and tend to practice in hospitals.

Naturopathic doctors look at non-traditional ways to treat their patients. They may rely on holistic medicine, herbs, traditional Chinese medicine and homeopathy to treat their patients. For example, a patient exhibiting symptoms of thyroid issues may be treated by a naturopath with a combination of lifestyle changes and natural medicines.

Students looking to enter the alternative medicine field have several options from bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. If you wish to practice as a naturopathic doctor you will need much of the same education a medical doctor will need, but with special emphasis on alternative medicines.

A Spike in Alternative Medical Support Services Degrees

#335 Most Popular Major
227 Degrees Awarded
15.4% Increase in Graduates

Alternative Medical Support Services was the 335th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 227 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 35 over the prior year, a growth of 15.4%.

This year's Best Alternative Medical Support Services Schools ranking compares 3 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of alternative medical support programs later in this article.

2023 Best Colleges for Alternative Medical Support Services
2023 Overall Best Alternative Medical Support Services Colleges >

Best Alternative Medical Support Services Schools by Degree

Associate Degrees in Alternative Medical Support Services
Bachelor's Degrees in Alternative Medical Support Services
Master's Degrees in Alternative Medical Support Services

What Are The Requirements For a Degree in Alternative Medical Support Services

Both midwives and naturopaths require a similar set of skills. You must excel at working with people. You must also be able to make decisions under pressure and be able to problem solve. In both cases, people's lives are literally in your hands - you must be able to work well under stressful conditions and must have empathy for the people you work with.

Prior Education for an Alternative Medical Support Program

alternative medical support services degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific alternative medical support careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.

Alternative Medical Support Services Degree Types

There are various different levels of alternative medical support degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in alternative medical support services to something that takes less time like a . Depending on the alternative medical support services degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.

Degree Credit Requirements Typical Program Length
Associate Degree 60-70 credits 2 years
Bachelor’s Degree 120 credits 4 years
Master’s Degree 50-70 credits 1-3 years
Doctorate Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation At least 4 years

Alternative Medical Support Careers

Below Average Number of Jobs
$40.3k Average Starting Salary
13% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

Solid Growth Projected for Alternative Medical Support Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your alternative medical support degree? Alternative Medical Support Services careers are expected to grow 13.3% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to alternative medical support services.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners 63,900 13.3%

How Much Money Do People With a Alternative Medical Support Degree Make?

Alternative Medical Support Services graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $40,302 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $40,302 to as high as $40,302. As you might expect, salaries for alternative medical support graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

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Highest Paid Alternative Medical Support Careers

Salaries for alternative medical support services graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers alternative medical support grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary
Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners $85,600

Getting Your Alternative Medical Support Services Degree

With over 17 different alternative medical support degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased alternative medical support school rankings to help you with this.

Alternative Medical Support Services is one of 30 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.

Alternative Medical Support Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Other Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services 138
Direct Entry Midwifery 89

View All Alternative Medical Support Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Nursing 322,592
Health & Medical Administrative Services 89,359
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 84,492
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 84,274
Allied Health Professions 82,308

View All Alternative Medical Support Related Majors >

References

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