Reading a practitioner’s qualifications: BHMS, MD, registration

When you look for a homoeopath, you will see letters after their name. BHMS. Maybe MD. Maybe a registration number. These are not decoration. Each one tells you something real and checkable.

This guide explains what each one means, in plain words. It will not tell you which practitioner to choose. That is your call. But it will help you read what is in front of you.

## BHMS: the basic degree

BHMS stands for Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery. It is the undergraduate degree for homoeopathy in India. It is regulated by the National Commission for Homoeopathy, usually shortened to NCH.

A practitioner with BHMS has finished that full course. It is the starting qualification for practice.

It is fair to ask a practitioner where they studied. The name of the college is part of their story, and a qualified person will tell you happily.

## MD (Homoeopathy): the postgraduate degree

Some practitioners go further and study for an MD in Homoeopathy. You may see it written as “MD (Hom.)”. This is a postgraduate degree, taken after BHMS.

Here is what the current rules say about it, in brief:

– It is governed by the NCH regulations for the MD in Homoeopathy, notified in March 2024. These replaced older rules from 1989.
– The course runs for 3 years.
– It is split into two parts. Part I lasts about 18 months. Part II comes after it.
– A research paper is required. So is a certificate in basic life support, known as BCLS.

An MD in Homoeopathy is taken in one speciality. The NCH curriculum lists seven:

1. Homoeopathic Materia Medica
2. Organon of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy
3. Homoeopathic Repertory and Case Taking
4. Homoeopathic Pharmacy
5. Practice of Medicine
6. Paediatrics
7. Psychiatry

So if a practitioner writes “MD (Hom.)”, you can ask which speciality. The answer tells you what they spent those three years studying in depth. To be honest about the picture, NCH has also published curricula for a couple of other subjects, and how they fit in is still being settled.

One small tip. In India, “MD” is also used for other kinds of medical degrees. If homoeopathy is what you are looking for, check that the degree says Homoeopathy.

## Registration: the licence to practise

A degree shows someone has studied. Registration shows they are allowed to practise.

A practising homoeopath should be registered with a State Council or on the NCH National Register. They will have a registration number. That number can be checked. Asking for it is not rude. You would ask the same of any health professional.

## Reading a verification badge on this platform

On Homoeopaths.org, a practitioner’s listing can carry a verification badge. We are careful about what that badge says, and you should be too, on any website.

Our rule is simple. We never show a bare “Verified” badge. A bare “Verified” does not tell you what was checked. So our badge always names the thing we checked.

Right now, our badge reads “Registration verified”. That means we checked the practitioner’s registration before their listing went public. The full form of our badge will read like this: “Registration verified with [State Council or NCH National Register] on [date]”. It will name the council and the date. We will switch to that full form as soon as our system stores those two details.

For students, there is a similar badge: “Enrollment verified”. It works the same way.

A good badge tells you who checked, what was checked, and when. If a badge on any site only says “Verified”, it is fair to ask: verified by whom, and for what?

## What these letters do not tell you

A degree and a registration tell you a practitioner is qualified and allowed to practise. They do not tell you whether that person is right for you. Nothing on paper can. A short first conversation often tells you more.

Also, no qualification means a practitioner can promise results. Be careful with anyone who promises outcomes or ranks themselves above everyone else. Registered practitioners should not advertise that way.

And please do not stop or change any care you are already getting based on a degree you saw online. Talk it through with a qualified, registered practitioner, and with any doctor you already see.

## Read more on this platform

“How to Choose a Qualified Homoeopath” on our blog covers the wider checks worth making. “Questions Worth Asking Your Homoeopath” gives you a simple list to take with you. And our directory of homoeopathic doctors lists practitioners with their qualification and registration stated plainly.