Healthcare practitioners with a license to diagnose and treat patients are eligible for certification as an Advanced Functional Medicine Practitioner™ and can use the designation AFMP™.
Allied healthcare professionals who complete the 300-hour coursework and who are not licensed to diagnose but provide dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle consulting are eligible for certification as Advanced Functional Medicine Health Coach™ and can use the designation AFMHC™.
The Kharrazian Institute coursework for AFMP™ and AFMHC™ certification is identical. The designation is based on the individuals permitted scope of practice. Certification at the Kharrazian institute does not grant any additional legal or scope of practice status.
Purpose of Certification
The purpose of certification is to allow the public and healthcare professionals to identify those who have completed advanced specialty training in the field of functional medicine. Functional medicine has emerged as a separate and distinguishable specialty that is characterized by a distinct body of knowledge and a scope of practice that is based on an infrastructure of scientific research and education.
Competence in the practice of functional medicine requires advanced training in interventional techniques, experience, and knowledge. Certification as an Advanced Functional Medicine Practitioner (AFMP™) or an Advanced Functional Medicine Health Coach (AFMHC™) has been designed to help recognize the individuals’ knowledge and education and skill in this field, however certification cannot and is not intended to serve as a guarantee of competence.
Eligibility Requirements for Advanced Functional Medicine Practitioner (AFMP)
Who it’s for: Licensed healthcare professional (M.D., D.C., D.O, P.T., N.D. L.Ac., N.P., R.D., P.A., etc.) permitted to conduct physical examination, diagnose, and provide treatment relative to their individual scope of practice.
Each applicant must hold a license issued by (a) one of the states of the United States of America or (b) its equivalent in the applicant’s country, state, province, parish, county, or other governmental unit within the applicant’s country.
Applicants must have satisfactorily completed and passed the examination of (a) 200 hours of post-graduate courses in clinical evaluation and treatment strategies at the Kharrazian Institute and (b) 100 hours of clinical grand rounds in the Clinical Mastership Training Program.
Eligibility Requirements for Advanced Functional Medicine Health Coach (AFMHC™)
Who it’s for: Individuals with at least an undergraduate degree and permitted to complete certification requirements requiring graduate level courses at the Kharrazian Institute.
Each applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university recognized by the United States Department of Education or its equivalent in the applicant’s country.
Applicants must have satisfactorily completed and passed the examination of (a) 200 hours of post-graduate courses in clinical evaluation and treatment strategies at the Kharrazian Institute and (b) 100 hours of clinical grand rounds in the Clinical Mastership Training Program.
