Designed mainly for registered medical practitioners (a few places open to other health care professionals)
3-year part-time, 9 one-week modules
Combining experiential face-to-face & distance learning
Based in the UK, Open to Doctors Worldwide
International Anthroposophic Physician Certification
Dates for the first module are below.
Module 1 is planning to be 4 to 12 October 2025
The Information below refers to the current cohort of the course and may be subject to change.
Many patients as well as physicians are in search of an integrative approach to medicine that embraces the whole person, in their mental and spiritual being as well as in bodily aspects. To this end, anthroposophic medicine was founded in 1920 by Dr. Rudolf Steiner and Dr. med. Ita Wegman.
Today this School of Medicine is alive in practices, therapeutic centres and anthroposophic hospitals throughout the world. It is taught in international training courses and is researched* in university departments with associated professorial chairs.
Course Overview
The English Training in Anthroposophic Medicine is based in the UK, but is open to Doctors Worldwide. The current cohort is made up of 28 participants from 17 countries, with all teaching in English. It is a strongly experiential course, covering the oundations of anthroposophic medicine aided by nature observation and plant study, artistic work, and conversation.
Later, experienced guests such as Marion Debus, David Martin, Matthias Girke, and Karin Michael contribute on specialist clinical subjects to expand on the principles of diagnosis and prescribing in anthroposophic medicine.
Aside from this, a core component of the training is also building a sense of social warmth and community, which is fostered in several ways including the intensive, in person modules as well as small group work on the inner path and biography.
The week long modules are spread over 3 years, with the first 6 modules taking place at Emerson College, south of London. The 3 latter modules take place in Havelhöhe Hospital in Berlin, the Goetheanum in Dornach and Snowdonia in North Wales.
Module Details & Topics Covered
Module 1 Face To Face – Essential OCT 2025
@Emerson College | The Four Elements, Four Kingdoms of Nature, Fundamental Aims of Anthroposophic Medicine & Research. Patient History Taking and examination with the aid of the Four Elements Qualitative Anatomy – Four Organs – Living Morphology and Projective Geometry Spiritual Biography & Conditions for Spiritual Development.
Module 2 Face To Face – Desirable but Optional for distant international participants TBC
@Emerson College | Metamorphosis Observational Studies of Leaves and Human Skeleton as Introduction to Three Foldness in the Human Being. Medicinal Plant Studies. Child Development, Keys to Resilience or Vulnerability. Waldorf Educational Curriculum as Mirror of Phases in Child Development. Small Group Inner Path Work on “The Trials” and “Biographical Sharing from Phases in Childhood”.
Module 3 Face To Face – Highly Desirable TBC
@Emerson College | Medicinal Plant Study. Tria Principia & 8 Metals & Plants with Albert Schmidli. Medical Meditation from “Course to Young Doctors’. Biography Work.
Module 4 Face To Face – Desirable but Optional for distant international participants TBC
@Emerson College| Mistletoe Plant Study. Fever, Cancer & Viscum treatment with Dr Marion Debus & Dr Simon van Lieshout Pain management & Palliative Care with Dr Matthias Girke.
Module 5 Face To Face – Desirable but Optional for distant international participants TBC
@Emerson College | Common Psychiatric Conditions Anxiety, Depression OCD Bipolar Schizophrenia Clay Modelling Therapy , Anthroposophic remedies and their indications. Art Therapy, Eurythmy Therapy.
Module 6 Face To Face – Desirable but Optional for distant international participants TBC
@Emerson College | Plant Study. Obstetrics and Gynaecology Anthroposophic perspectives with Dr Carmen Eppel. Anthroposophic Peadiatrics with Dr Karen Michael. Eurythmy Therapy
Module 7 Face To Face – Essential TBC
@Havelhöhe Hospital – Berlin | Cancer II and Palliative care with Dr. Matthias Girke, Viscum and Fever Cardiology: Heart failure, Coronary heart disease, Hypertension with Dr.Matthias Girke From the general practitioner’s practice Pneumology: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma. Gastroenterology External Treatments, Meeting Patients.
Module 8 Face To Face – Essential TBC
@ Klinik Arlesheim and Goetheanum Dornach, Switzerland | The School for Spiritual Science and the Medical Section, with Michael and Raphael Schools, Visit to the Group Statue, Visit Ita Wegman Institute Rheumatology, Diabetology with Matthias Girke. Meeting Patients at Arlesheim Clinic with Dr. Marion Debus.
Module 9 Face To Face – Essential TBC
@ Trigonos, Snowdonia UK | Medicinal Plant Study, Endocrinology with Prof David Martin Celtic Spirituality and Future Spirituality and Medicine, Visit Penmaenmawr Druid Circle and Cromlechs on Anglesey; Ita Wegman & Rudolf Steiner in the British Isles.
International participants are encouraged to speak to the course leader in advance to identify how best to participate to ensure a rich learning experience.
Apply for the Dr Geoffrey Douch Scholarship Fund
The fund is open to any doctor from all over the world in financial need who has been offered a place to study in the English Training in Anthroposophic Medicine at Emerson College.
The Dr Geoffrey Douch Scholarship Fund grants one award to the successful applicant towards tuition fees and accommodation (if needed) for the duration of their programme of study.
INFO Contact the Course Leaders
