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. 1. Curriculum for category 1 students (2 years FT)
  2. 2. Curriculum for category 2 students with prior health education (1 year FT)
  3. 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 AnatomyMM102 Medical MicrobiologyRX201 Principles of Radiology & X-ray DiagnosisBC202 Botanical Medicine Clinical Skills
HP101 Human PhysiologyPA102 PathologyBM201 Fundamentals of Botanical MedicineBP202 Practical Botanical Pharmacy
CR101 Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)IM102 ImmunologyMM201 Botanical Medicine Materia MedicaAP202 Applied Phytotherapeutics
NA101 Neuro AnatomyDS102 Diagnosis & SymptomologyPP201 Botany & Plant IdentificationMB202 Botanical Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders
CN101 Clinical NutritionND102 Neuro-DiagnosisHP201 Herbology Principles, Practice, Ethics & JurisprudenceTH202 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 MedicinePractical Botanical Pharmacy
Principles of Radiology & X-ray DiagnosisBotanical Medicine Clinical Skills
Botany & Plant IdentificationApplied Phytotherapeutics
Herbology Principles, Practice, Ethics & JurisprudenceBotanical Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders
Botanical Medicine Materia MedicaClinical Nutrition
Diagnosis & SymptomologyThesis & 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

Our Doctor of Botanical Medicine (DBM) students currently have no access to a practical in-person lab. However soon we will be offering a week-long in-person practical lab at a local farm near NUMSS campus that is used as a training and research center by Seville University of Health and Medicine founded by Dr. Pourgol in 2022.