Preparing to Apply & How Applications Are Scored

Part 1 establishes that you meet the Registered Herbalist Application Criteria and are eligible to proceed to the clinical portion of the application.

You will provide information about:

• Your herbal education and training
• Your clinical training and experience
• Your current or recent clinical practice
• Your philosophy and approach as an herbalist
• The herbal reference books and resources you rely on
• Your reasons for seeking RH credentials

The Admissions Coordinator reviews Part 1 to determine whether you meet the criteria. If you meet the criteria to apply, you will receive a link to Part 2. If you do not, you will receive an email explaining where you did not meet the criteria to apply.

Part 2 gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of herbal medicine, clinical reasoning, assessment skills, and ability to develop and modify herbal protocols by responding to sample cases we provide, submitting two cases from your practice, and answering other clinical practice questions. 

Part 2 includes five sections.

📖 Section 1: Clinical Assessments and Herbal Protocols

50 points total — 10 points per case

You will be given five sample client cases and asked to demonstrate how you would approach each case as an herbalist. We want to understand how you think clinically, how you prioritize safety, and how you develop an individualized care approach.

The sample cases are intentionally brief and do not contain all the information you would normally gather during a complete intake. Your task is to identify what information is missing and tell us what questions you would ask to obtain it. Then speculate on a possible protocol using the information you have. 

For each case:

1. Identify follow-up questions

List up to five questions you would ask the client and briefly explain why each question is important to your assessment. Your explanation should show how this additional information could affect your assessment, recommendations, or safety considerations.

Based on the possible answers to your questions, you will develop a theoretical herbal protocol and other supportive recommendations. 

2. Develop herbal protocols

Provide detailed recommendations for both acute and long-term herbal protocols. Proprietary commercial products or pre-made formulas are not allowed.

For each herbal protocol, you’ll include:

• The herbs, formulas, or other herbal preparations 
• The purpose of the formula and your rationale for recommending it
• Dosage ranges and frequency
• Duration of use for each herbal preparation
• Potential safety concerns or herb/drug interactions

3. Address any diet and lifestyle factors

Include your recommendations for:

• Dietary supplements, including dosage (optional)
• Possible diet changes
• Lifestyle
• Other supportive measures

If you regularly incorporate other complementary healing methods into your practice, you may include them. However, your herb-based protocol should be the primary focus of your recommendations.

4. Consider situations that require referrals

If any of these cases appear to fall outside your scope of practice and require a referral to another health-care professional, specify the type of practitioner you would recommend. Provide a preliminary herbal protocol, even if you believe a referral may be needed to fully assess the case. 

Sample Cases: Here are two cases similar to the ones included in Part 2 of the application. 

Case A

A 43-year-old cisgender female presents with premenstrual tension, irregular cycles, dysmenorrhea, and irregular night sweats and hot flashes. Client reports gaining about 50 pounds over the past two years, with most of the weight accumulated around her abdomen and hips. She reports dry hair and skin and has noticed that her head hair has begun to thin. Symptoms have gotten worse over the past year following a stressful situation with her family. She has sought treatment from a conventional medical professional and was told that this is a natural part of aging. She is frustrated and upset that no one has been able to help or listen to her complaints. She is open to different kinds of support.

Case B

A 60-year-old cisgender male, 5’10”, 240 lbs., presents with severe bronchitis three or more times each year. He treats these episodes with over-the-counter cold medications and antibiotics. He smoked heavily for 35 years but stopped three years ago. He reports chronic constipation, recurring episodes of tinnitus, and breathlessness with exertion. He was diagnosed with elevated cholesterol ten years ago and currently takes a statin and a baby aspirin daily.

📖 Section 2: Materia Medica

50 points total — 10 points per herb

You will choose five herbs from one of the three approved herb lists:

• Western herbs
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
• Ayurvedic herbs

For this portion of the application, you will demonstrate your knowledge without consulting reference materials.

For each herb, describe:

Clinical use: How do you use this herb in your practice? Be as specific as possible.

Primary actions: What do you consider to be the herb’s primary actions? If different parts of the plant have different actions, describe those distinctions.

Clinical indications: What clinical indications, patterns, or presentations guide your decision to use this herb?

Preparation and dosage: What preparations do you typically use—for example, tincture, infusion, decoction, powder, or topical preparation? Include general dosage ranges when applicable.

Safety: Describe relevant:

• Contraindications
• Herb/drug interactions
• Toxicity concerns
• Side effects
• Duration-of-use considerations
• Other safety precautions

Formulation: If you commonly use this herb in formulas, describe combinations you find particularly effective and explain why you combine these herbs together.

We are interested not only in whether you can recall information about an herb, but in your ability to demonstrate practical, clinically relevant materia medica knowledge.

📖 Section 3: Your Case Histories

300 points total — 100 points per case

You will submit three comprehensive recent case histories from your own clinical practice that demonstrate your clinical skills and experience.

Each case must:

• Involve a complex or chronic condition
• Include at least three visits: An initial intake and at least two follow-up visits
• Include formal follow-up assessments conducted in person or via telehealth
• Be based on a client seen within the past five years

Email communications and phone calls do not count as follow-up visits.

What to Include in the Cases You Submit

The cases from your clinical practice demonstrate your clinical skills and ability to address complex symptom patterns and conditions. Each case must demonstrate the differential assessment method used in your clinical practice and the thorough knowledge of and consistent application of your differential assessment method. Please review the Differential Assessment Guidelines. 

Central to all cases submitted is your ability to provide a differential assessment. The differential assessment should include your observations, any shared medical diagnoses, and, most importantly, a clear description of symptom patterns, using the differential assessment methods of the system you use in practice. 

Common assessment measures may include, but are not limited to, energetics (e.g., hot, cold, damp, dry, excess, deficient, asthenic, sthenic); tongue and pulse; general observations of overall vitality, eye clarity, general demeanor, skin or hair health, and voice quality or manner of speech, including clarity of thought. 

Case histories should be concise, comprehensive summaries that include the case presentation, the client’s primary concerns and goals, any medical diagnoses and prescribed medications, your differential assessment, detailed botanical protocols, and your rationale for all recommendations. 

Documentation of follow-up visits (there should be at least two or more for each case) should include:

• A general review of any clinical changes based on your differential assessment
• A summary of your client’s experience with and feedback about your protocols
• A detailed description of all modifications to botanical protocols in response to pattern changes. 
• Your rationale for all protocol changes, such as formulation modifications, dosage adjustments, etc. 

While dietary and lifestyle changes are almost always part of an effective protocol, submitted cases must center on a custom herbal protocol and your rationale for all recommendations. Protocols should demonstrate your ability to apply case-appropriate herbal formulas that align with your differential assessment, the client’s primary concerns, and any medical diagnoses or current medications.  

We also recognize that other therapies, such as flower essences, homeopathy, aromatherapy, nutritional supplements, bodywork, and counseling, are often part of a holistic approach. Include these therapies only as adjuncts to your primary herbal recommendations.

Do not submit intake forms or copies of recommendations you shared with clients. Remove all client names, personal information, and other identifying information from any materials you submit. Any applications containing identifying client information will be rejected.

Choose cases that demonstrate not only your ability to create effective herbal protocols but also your clinical reasoning, differential assessment methods, formulation details, your client’s response to your protocols, and your ability to modify clinical protocols as patterns and symptoms evolve.

📖 Section 4: Your Referral Network

Provide information about three licensed health-care practitioners whom you consult with or refer clients to when a case falls outside your scope of practice. Do not include anyone who will also be asked to write a letter of recommendation for your RH application.

For each practitioner, provide:

• Full name
• Credentials
• Professional qualifications

📖 Section 5: Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required.

Request letters of recommendation from experienced clinical herbalists who are familiar with your training and clinical herbal practice and can attest to your skills as a clinical herbalist.

Recommendation requirements

• Both letters should come from experienced clinical herbalist practitioners who know your clinical work.
• At least one letter should come from a primary herbal instructor or mentor.
• If obtaining a letter from a primary instructor or mentor is not possible, provide a brief explanation in your application.
• Do not request references from anyone with less herbal training or clinical experience than yours. 

You will request your letters through Part 2 of the application. You will provide each reference’s name and email address, and an automated email will be sent to the reference with a secure link for submitting their professional qualifications (CV) and letter.

All letters of recommendation are confidential and will be viewed only by the Admissions Review Advisory Committee (ARAC)

Part 1: The Admissions Coordinator reviews Part 1 of the application to determine whether you meet the AHG Registered Herbalist Application Criteria. Once your eligibility is confirmed, you will receive a link to Part 2 of the application. 

Part 2: At least three members of the Admissions Review Advisory Committee (ARAC) review and score Part 2. The Admissions Coordinator assigns applications to reviewers after confirming there are no conflicts of interest or prior relationships between the applicant and the reviewers. 

The reviewers evaluate your application based on the herbal knowledge, clinical skills, clinical reasoning, and professional judgment you demonstrate throughout your submission. Applications are scored in roughly two months from the time the reviewers receive them. 

If Part 2 of your application receives a passing score, you will receive an invitation to participate in Part 3: The Live Interview.

If Part 2 of your application does not receive a passing score, your application status is marked Pending.

Pending status is not a rejection or failure; it is an opportunity to receive personalized feedback from reviewers that highlights areas where additional study, clinical experience, mentorship, or other professional development would strengthen your practice skills. They also provide a timeline for addressing these issues and reapplying, usually one year.  

At the end of the specified period, applicants who have completed the recommended additional training or clinical experience can submit a detailed description of all professional development and training completed, along with two recent case studies from their practice that demonstrate their clinical skills. ARAC reviewers will review the information provided and determine whether the applicant now qualifies to move to Part 3 of the RH application process. 

Part 3 is a 45-minute live interview.  Applicants who have earned a passing score on Part 2 of the application are invited to schedule an interview with the Admissions Coordinator.

The purpose of the interview is to give you an opportunity to explain and discuss the clinical reasoning in your submitted case studies. The Part 3 live interview is not a test; it is a conversation about your clinical approach. You should be prepared to explain why you made the choices you did in the cases you submitted and to answer any clinically relevant questions from ARAC reviewers. ARAC members who scored your application will provide the Admissions Coordinator with questions based on the cases you submitted.

You should be prepared to discuss:

• Your differential assessment
• Your clinical reasoning
• Your primary botanical protocols
• Why you selected specific herbs or formulations
• How you evaluated the client’s response
• How and why you modified protocols during follow-up visits
• Any safety considerations or referrals relevant to the cases

After the Interview

Following the interview, you will be notified of the outcome, typically within a week.

Should the ARAC reviewers decide that you do not meet the standards for RH membership, they will provide detailed recommendations for further study, clinical experience, or mentorship, along with a timeline for when you may reapply, usually after one year. 

The RH application is an opportunity to demonstrate the herbal knowledge and clinical skills you have developed through education, self-study, mentorship, and clinical experience.

As you prepare to apply, remember that your answers on the application should showcase your clinical reasoning. These skills define competent clinical herbal practice and are what the RH application is designed to assess.

Be sure that the information you provide in response to the sample cases and to the cases drawn from your practice includes:

• A comprehensive differential assessment
• A relevant summary of your client’s health history
• The rationale for choosing particular herbs and formulas
• How your recommendations were thoroughly researched for safety
• Your ability to evaluate a client’s response to your recommendations
• Your ability to incorporate client feedback as you adapt your recommendations
• How you determine that a case is beyond your scope of practice and requires a referral

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