Education

Education is one of the key pillars for the development and spread of a science. Switzerland’s unique legal context allows high quality education in Ayurveda. SAMA has been a pilot school in the Swiss regulatory process for Ayurveda therapy and has developed a leading training program in Ayurveda medicine, MedVaidya, to train an international elite of practitioners for the promotion of Ayurveda as a medical system. It is certified by the Swiss government and designed with respect to WHO benchmarks and the university syllabus of training of Ayurveda doctors (BAMS) in India.

After 9 years of research, of a test promotion and of development, the educational activities of SAMA are entrusted in 2021 to SwissMed School Association, a school of traditional and plural medicine, developing activities and educational programs in Ayurveda, as well as in other disciplines.

Education in Ayurveda is a challenge in the globalization process of Ayurveda, due to lack of legal provisions, regulations and recognition of the training as well as qualified faculties. Switzerland in this regard has been privileged, as it has long been a pioneer, with reimbursement of traditional and complementary practices, well before the new constitutional article.

Principles of education, including ethics and rules, objectives of the school, training objectives, competences and skills for Ayurveda medicine and therapy are exposed here.

Programs

MedVaidya

MedMedX

Become an Ayurveda Practitioner

SwissMed School

Avenue de Sévelin 52,
1004 Lausanne, Switzerland

+41 21 552 79 70
info@swissmed.school

www.swissmed.school

Ethics & Rules

Whether it’s a complete professional training course or an introduction to this age-old system of knowledge, quality training must be promoted within the local regulatory framework and in compliance with WHO guidelines, while respecting the holistic approach and pure tradition of Ayurveda.

Only teachers who are passionate about the art of Ayurveda will be able to do their utmost to pass on to their students this medical art, in all its various dimensions and to the full extent of each degree of training.
An Ethical Charter must be drawn up to guide the school in its action in the service of its mission.

The General Conditions must be developed with a concern for transparency in order to facilitate the administrative procedures and establish a harmonious contractual relationship between the students and the school.

Objectives of a school

Train Ayurveda professionals (practitioners and therapists, as well as physicians with complementary training in Ayurveda) who are able to :

  • provide effective professional work upon graduation
  • have a deep understanding of the principles of Ayurveda, while knowing and respecting its strengths and limitations
  • offer their clients a structured, effective, adequate, differentiated and adapted clinical practice adapted to Western realities while respecting the fundamental principles of Ayurveda
  • ensure the quality of their work, knowing where to find professional advice
  • collaborate effectively with other actors in the healthcare system
  • represent authentic Ayurveda with respect to local realities to clients, to the public and to authorities

To achieve these objectives: 

  • Teachers discuss course content with senior experienced teachers
  • course content focuses on the transmission and acquisition of competencies that are strictly evaluated through intermediate and final examinations
  • the number of students per batch and per teacher is limited
  • the school collaborates closely with leading Ayurvedic institutions in India
  • the school organizes practical training courses at partner institutions in India
  • the training meets the criteria issued by local reference bodies and undergoes the required certifications and accreditations

Training objectives & specific competences - Ayurveda medicine

  • a deep understanding of the cosmic, philosophical, spiritual, social, environmental, therapeutic and medical conception of Ayurveda
  • the integration and practice of Ayurvedic principles in the personal life of the therapist
  • effective, safe and adequate clinical practice of Ayurvedic medicine in an individual or team practice
  • formulating an Ayurvedic diagnosis and a treatment line with respect to the specific indications and therapeutic limits
  • preventive, curative or palliative therapeutic practice at all stages of the Ayurvedic pathological process
  • the prescription and medicinal preparation of Ayurvedic remedies for internal and external administration, manual therapeutic techniques, invasive treatments, nutritherapy and psycho-spiritual therapy according to the founding principles of Ayurveda in adaptation to realities and needs in the West
  • comprehensive long-term customer care
  • the indication between the educational component and the care in the therapeutic process
  • coordination of teamwork and supervision of Ayurvedic therapists

Skills - Ayurveda medicine

At the end of the training of Ayurvedic medicine the student has the following competences:

  • establishes the diagnosis in Ayurvedic medicine
  • develops a therapeutic protocol according to the needs of the client in compliance with indications and contra-indications
  • practises medicinal prescription internally and externally, nutritherapy lifestyle counseling, psycho-spiritual accompaniment, manual care techniques, deep disposal techniques according to the rules of the traditional art of Ayurveda in adaptation to Western realities
  • therapeutic approach chosen is explained to the client
  • makes the medicinal prescription if necessary with individual formulations and according to the rules of the administration in Ayurveda
  • prepares individual medicinal formulations
  • explains the prescription and the rules of administration in a clear and useful way to the client
  • practices all common care techniques in Ayurveda, including invasive techniques (deep disposal treatments)
  • transmits instructions in nutrition and practical lifestyle that takes into account the constraints and resources of the client
  • accompanies the client through psycho-spiritual counseling and counseling in a coaching that respects the world's conception and the resources of the client
  • prescribes and transmits yoga, pranayama and meditation exercises and if indicated, refers the client to a yoga therapist for more in-depth follow-up work
  • evaluates and adapts his therapeutic protocol at each stage of treatment
  • supervises the techniques of care with external medicinal application that he delegates to the therapists with whom he collaborates in the same institution
  • documents his own clinical work in a structured way
  • ensures a collaborative network with quality Indian institutions that can accommodate the client for hospital treatment
  • indicates the need for Ayurvedic hospital treatment in India and refers the client
  • knows the sources of traditional and modern documentation
  • reads Sanskrit at a level that allows him to understand the content of subjects studied and refers to the traditional literature to refresh and deepen his fundamental and practical understanding of Ayurveda
  • documents himself on the research and the developments of modern Ayurvedic medicine
  • ensures his own continuous training thanks to the national and international network to which he has integrated during the training
  • communicates the principles of Ayurveda and his own role in a transparent and clear way to clients and other health professionals to guarantee a quality of collaboration and optimal cooperation
  • prepares medical reports and provides concise and clear case presentations
  • knows the limits of Ayurveda and his own skills and refers the client in time to a doctor or other competent person or institution with whom he continues to collaborate in parallel

Training objectives & specific competences - Ayurveda therapy

  • insight into the cosmological, philosophical, social, environmental, and therapeutic concepts of Ayurveda
  • the integration and practice of Ayurvedic principles in the therapist's personal life
  • effective, safe and appropriate therapeutic practice of Ayurveda in individual or team settings
  • effective professional networking

Independent practice

  • therapy through individualized nutritional and lifestyle advice and coaching, psycho-spiritual support and massage techniques, according to the founding principles and respecting the indications and limits of Ayurveda within the scope of svasthavṛtta (individualized preventive medicine)
  • accompaniment of the client during the health process towards a specific goal
  • developing the educational role of Ayurveda in the therapeutic process through coaching and the development of active client resources

In collaboration and under supervision of an Ayurveda practitioner or physician

  • support in acute and long-term Ayurveda treatment
  • practice of all the manual treatment techniques
  • specific treatment-oriented nutrition and lifestyle advise

Skills - Ayurveda therapy

At the end of training the student has the following general skills:

  • communicates Ayurvedic principles to the client in a way that is understandable and useful for the therapeutic process
  • knows the indications and contraindications of therapeutic techniques within the scope of his/her competences
  • knows and respects the strengths and limitations of Ayurvedic therapy
  • develops a health support process in line with the client's needs, within the framework of his or her own competences
  • evaluates the process and makes any necessary adjustments
  • works alone or as part of a team, and masters the means of professional communication
  • transmits simple yoga and pranayama exercises and, if indicated, refers the client to a yoga therapist for more in-depth work in yoga, pranayama or meditation

See also

School of Traditional and Plural Medicine. Become an Ayurveda Practitioner!