An Overview of NUMSS Admissions to Doctor of Botanical Medicine DBM Program
Thank you for your interest in the accredited, 100% online, on-demand, accelerated botanical medicine (also known as herbology or phytotherapy) degree program. Our Admissions department is eager to help you in any way we can. We invite you to contact National University of Medical Sciences registrar at admissions@numss.com and ask us any questions you may have. All botanical medicine classes are pre-recorded video lectures available online at our video server. they are all offered in English language. Campus attendance is not required for the DBM program and students from every corner of the world are eligible to apply and study at the comfort of their homes.
Our Doctor of Botanical Medicine degree is evaluated and approved in USA by the Validation Corp and the California University FCE. The DBM degree is also legalized in Spain by the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of External Affairs. Alumni can join a number of association around the world including the American Alternative Medical Association (AAMA).
Currently this program is offered 100% online. However we are in the process of offering certain practical classes at a local farm that is used as a training and research center of Seville University of Health & Medicine (a university founded by NUMSS president, osteopath & naprapath, Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD).
Why Study Botanical Medicine?
Health care professionals such as osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists, medical doctors, athletic therapists, massage therapists, naprapaths & naturopaths regularly use herbs to help patients. World Health Organization estimates that over 67% of the world population use botanical medicine as the primary choice of treatment & that it is practiced in all countries. Botanical medicine refers to using a plant’s seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. This is one of the oldest medical systems in the world dating back to the beginning of history and now it is becoming more mainstream as improvements in analysis and quality control along with advances in clinical research prove the value of botanical medicine in the treating and preventing disease. Currently in North America even physicians prescribe on average 8 botanical products per day. About 30 % of all medications still contain active constituents derived from plants.
Why Choose to Study Botanical Medicine at NUMSS?
Because we offer the most affordable, accredited, online on-demand, accelerated Doctor of Botanical Medicine. Our DBM program is ideal for the working health practitioners as they have the flexibility to study at the time they wish without leaving home. As there is no need to attend a classroom, they can watch the lectures at the comfort of their homes. Students from anywhere in the world can earn a DBM without spending a large sum on the costs associated with daily travel. NUMSS DBM program tuition is kept low to make the program affordable to all students. Our DBM is accredited. It is approved in the United States and Spain. And alumni can join many associations such as the American Association of Alternative Medicine.
While there is no requirement for in-person classes, students soon will have the option of attending a week long practical lab at a local farm that is the center for training and research of Seville University of Health & Medicine, a university founded in 2022 by Dr. Pourgol who serves as president of National University of Medical Sciences (founded in 2012).
Admission Prerequisites
The DBM is an entry level accelerated program that students can enter directly without the need for prior university education or prior health education. As it is an accelerated program it can be completed in a shorter time as more lectures are added per semester to allow students to complete the program in a shorter time. The prerequisite to enter the Doctor Botanical Medicine (DBM) is having a high school diploma or equivalent. This degree can be taken as a dual degree program with most other program offered by NUMSS. The category 3 students (doctors & physiotherapists) are able to complete the DBM in 6 months (1 semester). Category 2 students (with previous health education, such as massage therapists) can earn the DBM in 1 year (2 semesters). Category 1 students (with no prior health education) need to study 2 years to obtain the DBM.
Doctor of Botanical Medicine (DBM) Curriculum
There are 3 different curriculums for the DBM program:
- 1. Curriculum for category 1 students (2 years FT)
- 2. Curriculum for category 2 students with prior health education (1 year FT)
- 3. Curriculum for category 3 students whith background of (physicians, naturopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists, athletic therapists, osteopaths) (6 months FT)
Curriculum for category 1 regular students (2 year FT, 4 semesters, 2622 hours)
| 1st Year (1st Semester) | 1st Year (2nd Semester) | 2nd Year (3rd Semester) | 2nd Year (4th Semester) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HA101 Human Anatomy | MM102 Medical Microbiology | RX201 Principles of Radiology & X-ray Diagnosis | BC202 Botanical Medicine Clinical Skills |
| HP101 Human Physiology | PA102 Pathology | BM201 Fundamentals of Botanical Medicine | BP202 Practical Botanical Pharmacy |
| CR101 Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) | IM102 Immunology | MM201 Botanical Medicine Materia Medica | AP202 Applied Phytotherapeutics |
| NA101 Neuro Anatomy | DS102 Diagnosis & Symptomology | PP201 Botany & Plant Identification | MB202 Botanical Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| CN101 Clinical Nutrition | ND102 Neuro-Diagnosis | HP201 Herbology Principles, Practice, Ethics & Jurisprudence | TH202 Thesis & Research project |
Curriculum for category 2 students with prior health education (1 year FT, 2 semesters)
| 1st Year (1st Semester) | 1st Year (2nd Semester) |
|---|---|
| Fundamentals of Botanical Medicine | Practical Botanical Pharmacy |
| Principles of Radiology & X-ray Diagnosis | Botanical Medicine Clinical Skills |
| Botany & Plant Identification | Applied Phytotherapeutics |
| Herbology Principles, Practice, Ethics & Jurisprudence | Botanical Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| Botanical Medicine Materia Medica | Clinical Nutrition |
| Diagnosis & Symptomology | Thesis & Research project |
Curriculum for category 3 students (physicians, naturopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists, athletic therapists, osteopaths) (6 months FT)
| (Only Semester) |
|---|
| Fundamentals of Botanical Medicine |
| Botanical Medicine Materia Medica |
| Applied Phytotherapeutics |
| Botany & Plant Identification |
| Botanical Medicine Clinical Skills |
| Botanical Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| Practical Botanical Pharmacy |
| Research project & Thesis |
Testimonial
We strongly encourage all manual osteopaths and naprapaths to consider enrolling in the Doctor of Botanical Medicine (DBM) program offered by the National University of Medical Sciences – Spain. This program not only enhances your clinical practice with a valuable therapeutic modality but also gives you a competitive edge in the field. Additionally, it offers an excellent opportunity to develop a source of passive income. Here is what registered manual osteopath and botanical medicine specialist (and Brazilian Jujitsu master and coach), Sensei, Dr Samir Seif has said about NUMSS DBM program.
The Degree That Redefined My Entire Clinical Practice
Earning my Doctor of Botanical Medicine through the National University of Medical Sciences has been nothing short of transformative. This program didn’t just educate me, it reshaped the trajectory of my professional life and opened doors I could not have foreseen.
The learning experience was immersive and advanced, led by a faculty of world-class botanists, clinical herbalists, and Phyto-therapists whose expertise is grounded in decades of real-world application. What truly set this program apart was the hands-on herbal lab—where we moved beyond theory to formulate our own custom preparations. That experience bridged the gap between knowledge and clinical reality, and changed everything for me.
This degree became the foundation for elevating every dimension of my clinical work. It enabled me to integrate botanical medicine into my manual osteopathy and metabolic health nutrition practice in a way that has led to exceptional, lasting outcomes for my patients. It also positioned me as a sought-after provider of custom botanical formulations, attracting clients worldwide who value this integrative, therapeutic approach.
Most significantly, this program gave me the clarity and confidence to pursue my Doctor of Osteopathy—a natural extension of what began as botanical study and has now become a fully integrated healthcare model. My work today merges manual therapy, metabolic science, and medical herbalism at the highest level.
If you’re looking for more than just a credential, if you want a truly transformative education; this is the institution that will take you there.
Samir Seif, Doctor of Botanical Medicine, RMO, DOMP, MHTN
Solos Medical Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario