Abstract
In South Africa, homeopathy is a statutory regulated profession and is becoming an increasingly sought after medicine globally. In South Africa, it is classified as a form of Complementary Medicine (CM), together with other related CM disciplines. Homeopaths are primary health practitioners and once registered they may only practice privately. Before 2020, students from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) completed the Magister Technologiae: Homeopathy (MTech Hom), to graduate and register as a homeopath. Homeopathy graduates are faced with multiple potential employment-related challenges, which are common with any other new graduates. However, with homeopathy, this may be more complex as the profession is not part of the public health care system.
The aim of the study was to establish the nature of career paths followed by homeopathy graduates of a public university (2005-2020) by means of a survey.
This study design was quantitative in nature with descriptive components. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire, adapted from previous related questionnaire surveys. The research population consisted of 191 homeopathy graduates from UJ who obtained their MTech Hom between 2005 and 2020 who were notified of the study by the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA) and Homeopathic Association of South Africa (HSA). A total of 65 questionnaire responses with valid consent were utilised for analysis where 6 responses (9,23%) related to section B (Group B - never practised previously), 12 responses (18,46%) were recorded in section C (Group C - practised previously but now stopped) and 47 responses (72,30%) were recorded in section D (Group D - currently practising).
Financial difficulties coupled with a lack of employment outside private practice remained the two main struggles faced either by new graduates or those who have left the profession. Despite the above difficulties, the majority of graduates (n=47; 72,30%) in this study were practising while a lesser portion of them were employed in homeopathy-based industries.
The majority of homeopathy graduates in this study were practising. However, this study was limited in terms of the population sample, the uneven distribution of respondents among all 3 groups and the researcher being in regular contact with other graduates who had graduated in the later years related to the period of the study. Future studies would require a larger population to investigate the reasons why more graduates are entering private practice despite the financial difficulties and how to prepare graduates for employment outside private practice.