The Admissions Review Advisory Committee (ARAC) has temporarily paused accepting new Registered Herbalist applications. We are in the process of updating the RH application process, an update that we believe will benefit all future applicants, and we'd like to explain why.
ARAC recognizes the need to enhance and clarify the Registered Herbalist application process. We want to address common areas of confusion and create a more transparent and easy-to-navigate system for all applicants. To this end, we initiated a comprehensive review and update of the entire process last year.
Questions about your application? Please see the FAQ below.
We have set in motion several key improvements:
Develop a transparent scoring rubric to ensure that all criteria for admission are clearly and explicitly stated.
Revise the application to make it more user-friendly and reflective of current herbalism practices.
Establishing clearly outlined core competencies expected of a Registered Herbalist.
After dedicating significant time and effort to these updates, we submitted our recommendations to the AHG Board of Directors for final review last year. We're excited about these changes' positive impact on future applicants and the herbalism community. Since we're so close to implementing these improvements, we've decided to pause the Fall review process to give the Board the time it needs to thoroughly review and approve the updates. If all goes well with the Board's review, we anticipate reopening applications in 2025.
When we resume accepting applications, you can look forward to:
· A more streamlined application process
· Clearer, easy-to-understand requirements
· A transparent scoring system
· An overall more efficient and pleasant process
We understand that this pause may cause some inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding. Please be assured that this temporary measure is in the best interest of all current and future applicants, as it will ensure a more equitable and transparent process moving forward. If you have any questions or concerns about this update, please don't hesitate to contact our Admission Coordinator. They can provide any additional information or updates.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in the AHG Registered Herbalist program. We look forward to unveiling the improved application process and reviewing your application when the process reopens.
FAQ About the Registered Herbalist Application Changes
If I have an application, either Part 1 or Part 2, in progress, will I lose everything I have already done and need to start over?
No. Once we are ready to accept applications again, anyone with an application in process will be notified and given a deadline for completing and submitting it using the current form. Applications not submitted by the deadline will be deleted, and only the latest version will be available.
What exactly will be different with the new application process?
Several proposed changes are being reviewed. We plan to share Core Competencies that applicants can use to be sure they have the skills and experience needed to apply. We hope this will help applicants understand what we are looking for when assessing clinical competency. We have also proposed changes to the rubric we use to score applications and made recommendations for revising the language of application questions to make them easier to understand. However, until the AHG Board of Directors completes its review, we don’t know if all or some of these changes will be approved and implemented.
When will the Admissions Review Advisory Committee be accepting applications again?
We hope the Board of Directors will complete their review of our proposed changes as quickly as possible. Once they do, we anticipate launching the new applications within two or three months. We cannot provide an exact date, but we will keep everyone apprised of the transition process and hope to start accepting applications again as quickly as possible.
If I have already applied and my application was scored “Pending,” does this change how and when I can reapply?
If your application was scored “Pending,” you can contact the Admissions Coordinator directly for details on reapplying. We anticipate that the review of these applications may also experience a delay as we devote our attention to getting the new applications set up.
The applications for AHG Registered Herbalist membership are now digital.
Before applying, you must view the instructional video that you will findHERE.
Questions? Feel free to contact the Admissions Coordinator.
What is a Registered Herbalist?
We offer Registered Herbalist Membership as a way for herbalists to demonstrate core knowledge and experience in herbal practice that establishes a meaningful competency standard for themselves, their communities, and other health professionals and institutions.We recognize that there are many skilled herbalists worldwide, and choosing to become registered with the American Herbalists Guild is only one of many ways herbalists may demonstrate their skills. For those who welcome review by their peers as confirmation of their clinical skills, the designation 'Registered Herbalist' establishes a recognized level of expertise and commitment to herbalism
Is Associate Membership a Better Match? If you do not meet the requirements to apply for RH membership, please consider an Associate Membership. The Associate membership is for dedicated professionals in the medicinal plants field, including those involved in herb cultivation, herbal product manufacturing, teaching, research, and client consultation. This category underscores our commitment to utilizing medicinal plants in various ways and aims to enhance recognition and visibility for this fulfilling career path. The Associate membership was created in part to as a response to medical professionals who engage herbal medicine as an allied field.
The Application Review Process
All applications are submitted digitally through the AHG website. There are two parts to the RH application; see details below.
Applicants may work on applications and upload application documents at their own pace.There is no time limit for completing and submitting either Part 1 or 2 of the RH application.
Part One: The first step is to complete Part One of the Application providing details about botanical medicine education, clinical training and experience. There is no fee required to submit Part One. Once the Admissions Coordinator has reviewed the information provided to verify that it meets the criteria for RH membership, applicants are emailed a notification with a link to complete Part 2 of the application process. You can view Part 1 of the application before starting your application using this link. It typically takes us two to three weeks to review Part 1 of the application. The application submission process is currently paused while make updates to the application.
Part Two: In the second part of the RH application, applicants provide three case histories from their practice, two letters of recommendation from former teachers or other herbal practitioners, demonstrate their ability to assess several sample cases we provide, and their knowledge of materia medica. They must also describe their clinical practice, caseload, personal philosophy, and other details about their work as a clinical herbalist, along with a non-refundable application fee ($100 for members, $175 for non-members). Use this link to review helpful details about the Application Process. The application submission process is currently paused while make updates to the application.
The Admissions Coordinator reviews all Part 2 applications to ensure they are complete before sending them to the Admissions Review Advisory Committee for scoring. The application review process takes approximately three months: March application results are shared via email in late June, July applications in late October and November applications in late February.
Each application is scored by 3 to 5 ARAC members. The Admissions Committee Chair oversees the ARAC meetings, application discussions at the three yearly ARAC meetings, and any changes to admissions policies and procedures.
About the ARAC Committee: The current ARAC committee comprises eleven Registered Herbalists, the Admissions Committee Coordinator and the Admissions Committee Chair. ARAC members serve a 3-year term as volunteers, agree to maintain complete confidentiality for all ARAC matters and are required to recuse themselves from scoring applications submitted by anyone that would present a conflict of interest (former students, personal friends, colleagues, etc.)
Here is a list of the ARAC members as of July 2023. Tokunboh (Ola) Obasi (Board of Directors Liason), Patricia Kyritsi Howell (Admissions Coordinator), Andrew Apello, Mary Bove, Todd Caldecott, Thomas Easley, Patricia Gaines, Thomas Avery Garan, Holly Hutton, Feather Jones, Althea Northage-Orr, and JoAnn Sanchez.
For questions about the RH application process, send us an email.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - OCTOBER 24, 2024
The Admissions Review Advisory Committee (ARAC) has temporarily paused accepting new Registered Herbalist applications. We are in the process of updating the RH application process, an update that we believe will benefit all future applicants, and we'd like to explain why.
ARAC recognizes the need to enhance and clarify the Registered Herbalist application process. We want to address common areas of confusion and create a more transparent and easy-to-navigate system for all applicants. To this end, we initiated a comprehensive review and update of the entire process last year.
Questions about your application? Please see the FAQ below.
We have set in motion several key improvements:
After dedicating significant time and effort to these updates, we submitted our recommendations to the AHG Board of Directors for final review last year. We're excited about these changes' positive impact on future applicants and the herbalism community. Since we're so close to implementing these improvements, we've decided to pause the Fall review process to give the Board the time it needs to thoroughly review and approve the updates. If all goes well with the Board's review, we anticipate reopening applications in 2025.
When we resume accepting applications, you can look forward to:
· A more streamlined application process
· Clearer, easy-to-understand requirements
· A transparent scoring system
· An overall more efficient and pleasant process
We understand that this pause may cause some inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding. Please be assured that this temporary measure is in the best interest of all current and future applicants, as it will ensure a more equitable and transparent process moving forward. If you have any questions or concerns about this update, please don't hesitate to contact our Admission Coordinator. They can provide any additional information or updates.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in the AHG Registered Herbalist program. We look forward to unveiling the improved application process and reviewing your application when the process reopens.
Additional Registered Herbalist Application Resources
The applications for AHG Registered Herbalist membership are now digital.
Before applying, you must view the instructional video that you will find HERE.
Questions? Feel free to contact the Admissions Coordinator.
What is a Registered Herbalist?
We offer Registered Herbalist Membership as a way for herbalists to demonstrate core knowledge and experience in herbal practice that establishes a meaningful competency standard for themselves, their communities, and other health professionals and institutions.We recognize that there are many skilled herbalists worldwide, and choosing to become registered with the American Herbalists Guild is only one of many ways herbalists may demonstrate their skills. For those who welcome review by their peers as confirmation of their clinical skills, the designation 'Registered Herbalist' establishes a recognized level of expertise and commitment to herbalism
Who Can Apply?
Clinical herbalists who have completed specific hours of herbal education and clinical practice are eligible to apply.Please see the Criteria for Registered Herbalist Membership Criteria and Application Process for complete details.
Is Associate Membership a Better Match?
If you do not meet the requirements to apply for RH membership, please consider an Associate Membership. The Associate membership is for dedicated professionals in the medicinal plants field, including those involved in herb cultivation, herbal product manufacturing, teaching, research, and client consultation. This category underscores our commitment to utilizing medicinal plants in various ways and aims to enhance recognition and visibility for this fulfilling career path. The Associate membership was created in part to as a response to medical professionals who engage herbal medicine as an allied field.
The Application Review Process
All applications are submitted digitally through the AHG website. There are two parts to the RH application; see details below.
Applicants may work on applications and upload application documents at their own pace.There is no time limit for completing and submitting either Part 1 or 2 of the RH application.
Part One: The first step is to complete Part One of the Application providing details about botanical medicine education, clinical training and experience. There is no fee required to submit Part One. Once the Admissions Coordinator has reviewed the information provided to verify that it meets the criteria for RH membership, applicants are emailed a notification with a link to complete Part 2 of the application process. You can view Part 1 of the application before starting your application using this link. It typically takes us two to three weeks to review Part 1 of the application. The application submission process is currently paused while make updates to the application.
Part Two: In the second part of the RH application, applicants provide three case histories from their practice, two letters of recommendation from former teachers or other herbal practitioners, demonstrate their ability to assess several sample cases we provide, and their knowledge of materia medica. They must also describe their clinical practice, caseload, personal philosophy, and other details about their work as a clinical herbalist, along with a non-refundable application fee ($100 for members, $175 for non-members). Use this link to review helpful details about the Application Process. The application submission process is currently paused while make updates to the application.
The Admissions Coordinator reviews all Part 2 applications to ensure they are complete before sending them to the Admissions Review Advisory Committee for scoring. The application review process takes approximately three months: March application results are shared via email in late June, July applications in late October and November applications in late February.
Each application is scored by 3 to 5 ARAC members. The Admissions Committee Chair oversees the ARAC meetings, application discussions at the three yearly ARAC meetings, and any changes to admissions policies and procedures.
About the ARAC Committee: The current ARAC committee comprises eleven Registered Herbalists, the Admissions Committee Coordinator and the Admissions Committee Chair. ARAC members serve a 3-year term as volunteers, agree to maintain complete confidentiality for all ARAC matters and are required to recuse themselves from scoring applications submitted by anyone that would present a conflict of interest (former students, personal friends, colleagues, etc.)
Here is a list of the ARAC members as of July 2023. Tokunboh (Ola) Obasi (Board of Directors Liason), Patricia Kyritsi Howell (Admissions Coordinator), Andrew Apello, Mary Bove, Todd Caldecott, Thomas Easley, Patricia Gaines, Thomas Avery Garan, Holly Hutton, Feather Jones, Althea Northage-Orr, and JoAnn Sanchez.
For questions about the RH application process, send us an email.