The IRCH register and distance learning course was originally established in 1960 and has been successfully producing qualified practitioners of Herbal Medicine ever since. It is recognised as a course of excellence by the Complementary Medical Association (CMA). The CMA represents the interests in excess of 10,000 practitioners including Medical Herbalists, and is now the largest multi- disciplinary professional membership body in the world. The IRCH distance learning course is carefully structured to enable students to fit study in and around the everyday pressures of living. It is however, a course that demands commitment and a desire to reach the high standards set by the faculty staff. The course is divided into five modules with the lessons within each supplemented by seminars and a summer school. The annual conference is an opportunity to meet students from all modules, practising herbalists, and take part in lively lectures and discussions. The IRCH course is much more than theory.  Clinical skills seminars give students the opportunity to learn about herbal medicine first hand from our experienced practitioners including case taking, examination techniques and diagnostic methods.  A recognised amount of clinical training must also be undertaken at our training clinics that are situated around the country. This is on a supervised one-to-one basis giving the student confidence to develop their own clinical practice. Throughout the course, students are continually assessed and examinations are taken with the ongoing support of tutors. All of the IRCH tutors are fully qualified as Medical Herbalists (many of them practising) as well as experts in their particular field.  Our tutors include nurses, doctors, scientists as well as academics, many of whom teach in universities.  External tutors are used ad-hoc for specialised areas of training. Students also have a mentor that is available to guide and support those with personal problems as well as issues around their study. If you are interested in finding out more about the IRCH and it’s unique course please contact us for a full prospectus The Faculty of Traditional Herbal Medicine “Over the past several years, there has been a considerable amount of propaganda and debate concerning the alleged benefits of the proposal for the practitioners of herbal medicine to become statutorily regulated by the Health Professionals’ Council (HPC)”. Click HERE to read more. Statement on Statutory Regulation