How to Become a Functional Medicine Practitioner

If you’re interested in how to become a functional medicine practitioner, you’re in the right place — and I have a lot to say on the subject.

Over the past two decades, I’ve worked with thousands of practitioners from around the world. I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and how different educational paths can lead to success in functional medicine. Whether you’re a medical doctor, chiropractor, naturopath, acupuncturist, or someone just beginning your professional journey, there’s a clear path forward.

Two Starting Points: Licensed and Unlicensed Practitioners

There are generally two groups of people exploring this field:

1. Those who already hold a license or degree (MD, DC, ND, LAc, NP, etc.)
2. Those just beginning their education

If you already have a professional degree, your next step depends on your goals:

• If you want the scientific foundation:
  The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) offers world-class coursework covering every major system of the body. Start with their foundational course and build from there.
• If you’re drawn to patient coaching and lifestyle work:
  Consider a functional medicine health coaching program. These focus on how to guide patients in nutrition, movement, mindset, and behavior change.
• If you want to specialize:
  There are excellent advanced programs focusing on cancer, Lyme disease, genetics, neurodegeneration, and autoimmunity.

I’m fortunate to personally know many of the doctors who teach these programs — and we all share the same mission: to train more clinicians who can bring real healing to their patients. This isn’t a competitive field; it’s a collaborative one.

My Focus: Practical Clinical Application

My specialty is real-world application — teaching what I actually do in my practice.

I continue to see patients every week, which keeps my teaching current and grounded. My courses emphasize:

• Clinical lab interpretation
• Protocol design for common functional medicine cases
• Practice management
• Patient education and communication

If you want to learn how to build a successful practice using functional medicine — from lab testing to patient care systems — the Kalish Method Mentorship is the best place to start.

👉 Explore The Kalish Institute Functional Medicine Certification Programs

Becoming a Practitioner Without a Degree

If you’re just starting out and don’t yet hold a professional degree, the first step is to decide how you want to practice.

Functional medicine can be applied by many different professionals, but licensure matters. Unlicensed coaches and nutritionists can make meaningful contributions, but they often face limitations — for example, they can’t order lab tests or prescribe certain treatments.

I became a chiropractor in the late 1980s because, at that time, California didn’t license naturopaths, and acupuncture programs weren’t yet well developed. Medical school didn’t feel like the right fit for me, so chiropractic made sense.

Since then, functional medicine has evolved enormously. Today, naturopathic and acupuncture programs are highly respected, and the field includes a growing number of MDs, NPs, and DOs who now integrate functional medicine into their practices.

Choosing the Best Training Path

There isn’t one “best” way to become a functional medicine doctor — it depends on your goals, temperament, and career vision.

Here’s how I think about it:

• If you want full prescriptive authority and the ability to integrate both conventional and functional care, consider an MD, NP, or DO program.
• If you’re drawn to hands-on or energy-based healing, programs in chiropractic, naturopathy, or Chinese medicine may be a better fit.
• If you want to blend systems thinking with patient coaching, acupuncture and naturopathy pair beautifully with functional medicine.

Every discipline brings unique strengths:

• Medical doctors combine deep diagnostic skills with functional lab interpretation.
• Chiropractors integrate structural and metabolic healing.
• Naturopaths provide an unmatched foundation in herbal medicine and nutrition.
• Acupuncturists already think in systems and understand balance, energy, and flow — the same principles that drive functional medicine.

The truth is, your degree doesn’t define your success. Your curiosity, dedication, and compassion do.

Multiple Disciplines, One Mission

No matter your path, functional medicine offers incredible flexibility.

I’ve trained chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, nutritionists, and MDs who each build their own style of practice — from simple nutrition-based programs to complex chronic illness clinics treating Lyme, mold, or neurodegeneration.

You can combine functional medicine with:

• Psychology or psychiatry
• Endocrinology and women’s health
• Integrative oncology
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation

The possibilities are endless — and that’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed passionate about teaching this work.

A Teacher’s Reward

One of the most fulfilling parts of my career is seeing my former students on conference stages as speakers, researchers, and thought leaders. Some were still in school when they first trained with me. Now, they’re advancing the field for the next generation.

That’s what education in functional medicine is really about — passing the torch so together we can bring real healing to more patients.

If you’re ready to take that first step, I’d be honored to help guide you.

Next Steps
👉 Explore Kalish Institute Training Programs