For a range of vital reasons, Functional Medicine is growing and evolving at a rapid pace. As more and more patients seek answers to their chronic health issues and complex diseases, Functional Medicine doctors are finding better and more sustainable ways to treat them.
Functional Medicine is all about merging science and common sense—the model evolved from the perspectives of a group of thought leaders who understood the importance of taking an individualized approach to tackle diseases at their root cause.
If you’re a healthcare provider who’s interested in becoming certified as a Functional Medicine doctor, keep reading: We’ll cover everything you need to know.
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What Is a Functional Medicine Doctor?
Functional Medicine is a biology-based approach that focuses on addressing the root cause of a problem or illness. Functional Medicine doctors take a patient-centered, individualized, and science-based approach to empower practitioners and patients to work together on their health.
By addressing the cause of an illness—rather than the symptoms—Functional Medicine doctors become oriented to identify the complexities of diseases. As a result, Functional Medicine doctors target the specific manifestation of disease and illness in each individual patient.
Why Become Certified as a Functional Medicine Doctor?
You’ve worked hard to get to where you’re at in your medical career. You’ve studied the scientific foundations of clinical practice and the traditions of medicine.
Many of the best in the healthcare field have gone on to study Functional Medicine, but why?
Functional Medicine training helps providers gain specific skills to apply the latest in medical science to their clinical practice.
If you want to unravel the root causes of diseases and apply the science you learn to clinical medicine in a rewarding, novel way, then becoming a certified Functional Medicine doctor might be the right path for you.
Select a Functional Medicine Training Program
It’s an exciting time for Functional Medicine doctors—while once considered “alternative medicine,” Functional Medicine is growing and gaining attention as a mainstream practice for all of the right reasons. More patients are seeking answers to their chronic health conditions that more traditional practitioners can’t provide.
With an increased demand for Functional Medicine doctors, there are certifications and training courses everywhere; however, for the sake of this post, we’ll talk about the most recognized: The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) certification program.
The Path to Becoming a Functional Medicine Doctor
First of all, becoming a certified Functional Medicine doctor has quite a few specific eligibility requirements:
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Functional Medicine Doctor Eligibility Requirements
Healthcare practitioners in the US who wish to complete the institute’s Functional Medicine certification program (IFMCP) must meet two specific requirements:
- They must have a master’s level degree in a healthcare-related field from an accredited university.
The minimum level of education for RNs to qualify is a bachelor’s level degree. In addition, because the minimum education levels for some healthcare-related degrees have changed, applicants in those fields can qualify with a bachelor’s level degree—if they completed their education before the requirement changes.
- They must have an active healthcare license to practice from the appropriate authorities in their state, province, or country.
In addition, the license must be permanent (temporary, residency, and student licenses are not eligible).
Commonly eligible degrees for the IFMCP program include:
- Acupuncturists
- Nutrition specialists
- Dentists
- Chiropractors
- Optometrists
- Osteopathic
- Podiatric practitioners
- Medical doctors
- Mental health professionals
- Naturopathic doctors
- Nurse practitioners
- Occupational therapists
- Pharmacists
- Physician’s therapists and assistants
- Registered dietitians
- Registered nurses
Functional Medicine Doctor Course Requirements
The courses you must complete to become a certified Functional Medicine doctor through IFM include:
- Cardio APM
- Immune APM
- Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice (AFMCP)
- Hormone APM
- Bioenergetics APM
- GI APM
- Environmental Health
Steps to Certification as a Functional Medicine Doctor
Completing IFM’s Functional Medicine Certification Program consists of seven steps after you meet the eligibility requirements:
- Submit your IFMCP application, a copy of your healthcare degree, your resume, and a copy of your healthcare license.
- Complete the seven courses listed above.
- Submit a case report and receive a passing score.
- Submit a written exam form application.
- Complete the IFMCP written exam with a passing score.
- Upon successfully completing the five steps listed above, you can receive your IFM certification award.
- Finally, to maintain certification, you must hold an active healthcare license, be a current IFM member, and pass a written exam for renewal every ten years.
The Importance of Functional Medicine
According to the NIH and related studies, over 50% of adults have a chronic health condition, and half of them have multiple. In addition, treating these chronic diseases accounts for 86% of healthcare costs.
With the cost and scope of chronic diseases rising, Functional Medicine doctors can help reverse this trend, providing better outcomes and cost savings for patients and their practices.
The healthcare industry faces a dual problem: chronic dependence on the system and cost inflation. Functional medicine helps solve this issue as healthcare costs become more unsustainable for patients with costly disease management treatments.
Instead of focusing on disease management, Functional Medicine doctors explore the potential of disease prevention, disease reversal, and health enhancement. All in all, Functional Medicine has the potential to help providers and their patients see new levels of financial savings and health restoration.
Find the Right Practice as a Functional Medicine Doctor
Getting certified as a Functional Medicine doctor is only the first step, and there are various paths you can take other than going through The Institute for Functional Medicine.
And once you complete your certification, knowing where to go next is difficult—there’s no residency program for Functional Medicine. So how do you get experience practicing in this field?
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Certification is a great step to becoming a practicing Functional Medicine doctor, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re immediately ready to get in front of patients; there’s a transition process after finishing your certification.
That’s where we come in.
At MindBody Talent, we help Functional Medicine doctors find the perfect practices that match their skill sets and training.
Ready to start bringing the benefits of Functional Medicine to more patients? Learn about our practice matching capabilities and reach out today to see how we can help you find the right practice.
