Dylan is a qualified medical herbalist and Herbal Apothecary’s Herbal Adviser. In this blog Dylan draws on her own experience to provide encouragement to those studying herbal medicine and she explains what we do here at Herbal Apothecary to help students navigate their journey to becoming fully qualified medical herbalists.

A word of encouragement

Being a student is no easy task, and it definitely can have its challenges as you are learning new and unfamiliar subjects to gain your qualification. Furthermore, your schedule is always full, as you are navigating learning and living at the same time over a space of 3 to 6 years. However, there is a fantastic light at the end of the tunnel, I can guarantee this, so keep going! Once you have finished your studies you will be a herbal medicine practitioner, which is a wonderful opportunity for you and your community!

Here at Herbal Apothecary, we realise the importance of supporting students through their journey to become fully qualified herbal medicine practitioners – you are our future in health! Plus, we understand that your studies can be challenging at times, and we’d like to help out where we can – read on to find out what we do and what we can offer.

You can set up your student account with us! 

It’s an exciting journey on the road to becoming a medical herbalist. If you want to buy herbs, herbal tinctures, capsules and lots more, whilst studying, to increase your knowledge of herbs and begin building your home apothecary – you can register for an account with us here at Herbal Apothecary.

If you create an account on our website and send us proof of studentship, which includes the letter of acceptance onto your course or a written note from your tutor, we can set your account to student level. This means that you will be able to order dried herbs, tinctures, capsules and powders from us. The only types of herbs which will be restricted are Schedule 20 herbs, which you will gain access to on graduation.

Opportunity for Placements 

Here at Herbal Apothecary, we are delighted to be able to offer student placement opportunities. These placements count towards your student training hours subject to approval by your tutor. As a student coming for their placement with us you can have the opportunity to work in our high-tech laboratory and understand how we test our herbal medicine to make sure it is of the highest quality, or work in production to see how herbal medicine is made. We offer lots of exciting opportunities, please get in touch if you would like to come for your placement with us, we would love to host you!

Working with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists to provide the Herbal Apothecary Research Award

At Herbal Apothecary we like to work closely with the regulatory bodies of herbal medicine, such as the largest regulatory body of herbal medicine in the UK, The National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH). Here at Herbal Apothecary, we appreciate and support good research and have collaborated with NIMH to provide a Herbal Apothecary Research award, which is given out every year to recognise outstanding research by a herbal medicine student. The ceremony usually takes place at NIMH’s Power of Plants festival, where the recipient receives a certificate and £200 voucher to purchase stock from us. Well done to all recipients of this award!

Student Visits, Educational Days & Online Experiences

We would like to extend an invitation to students to come and visit us here in Whitby. During a visit, students will have the opportunity to explore the factory, see how we manufacture herbal medicines, and learn about Good Manufacturing Practice and the care that goes into producing our products. Students will also learn more about our company’s beliefs and approach to herbal medicine and natural health, as well as meet the team and gain a better understanding of the different roles within the industry.

Visits can be arranged through educational providers as part of an organised trip, or students are welcome to arrange their own visits directly with us. In addition to factory visits, we are also planning to offer educational experiences, where we will host informative talks on subjects relating to health, herbal medicine, science, and manufacturing either in person or online. This provides a valuable opportunity for students to learn outside of the classroom and hear directly from our knowledgeable and experienced team. For example, our most recent cohort who came to visit us were a lovely group of nutritionists, who were part of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT.)

We also offer online visits and virtual factory tours for students who are unable to travel. We recently hosted an online session with the herbal medicine students at Lincoln College, where we gave a virtual tour of the factory, introduced the team, and answered questions. Whether in person or online, these experiences are designed to give students a real insight into the herbal medicine and natural health industry.

Working with Educational Providers: Organising Visits from Nature’s Laboratory to you!

At Nature’s Laboratory, we are passionate about sharing our knowledge and experience with the next generation of herbalists, and natural health practitioners. That’s why we are excited to work with educational providers to organise visits, talks, and seminars at schools, colleges, and training institutions. We are also delighted to work with educational providers such as The Herb Society, which provides understanding, knowledge and news on all aspects of herbs.

The sessions we provide are designed to be engaging, informative, and interactive. Students will have the opportunity to meet our team, learn more about the work we do, and gain insight into the world of herbal medicine and natural health manufacturing. We will also bring along tasters of the products we manufacture, giving students a hands-on opportunity to experience the quality and variety of herbal preparations we produce.

Our visits are not just about teaching — they are about inspiring. We want students to understand who we are, what we do, and why we are so passionate about herbal medicine. Most importantly, students will be able to ask questions, have discussions, and gain real insight into what a career in this field can look like.

If you are an educational provider and would like to arrange a visit, we would love to hear from you.

Northern Herbalist Meet – a day for herbalists and herbal students! 

We host a Northern Herbalist meet a few times in the year to help to bring together and provide a space for herbalists and students to meet and network. This is a day filled with fun and educational activities all related to Herbal medicine and natural health. You will be able to explore the factory and see how all of your favourite herbal medicine is made. Our highly educated and expert team will provide educational talks, lectures and workshops. There are spaces in the day to chat to fellow herbalists and herbal medicine students. Lunch is provided too! Here at Herbal Apothecary, we believe that this is a fabulous way to strengthen the herbal medicine community and provide a meeting place in the North of England, in beautiful Whitby, North Yorkshire.

 Q&A Availability – Have a Question About Herbal Medicine?

Our expert team at Herbal Apothecary is always happy to help. If you have a question about herbal medicine, natural health, herbal dispensing, or running a herbal practice, we are here to support you.

Whether you are a student, a recent graduate, or an experienced practitioner looking for advice, you can reach out to us with your questions. We understand that herbal medicine is a lifelong learning journey, and having access to experienced practitioners can make a huge difference.

We aim to make herbal medicine more accessible, more understandable, and more supported.

Herbal Dispensing and Prescription Service

After qualifying, setting up a clinic is not always straightforward. Buying a full range of herbs and tinctures, finding storage space, and possibly renting a clinic room can be expensive and overwhelming - especially at the beginning of your career.

That’s where our Herbal Dispensing and Prescription Service can help.

If you would prefer to run an online practice and focus on consultations, we can dispense your herbal prescriptions for you. Simply send us your prescription formulations, and we will prepare and dispatch the herbal medicines directly to your patients.

This allows you to focus on what you do best - working with clients - without the large upfront cost and logistics of setting up a full dispensary.

New Graduate 10% Offer

We know that the transition from student to practitioner can be both exciting and challenging. To help support you as you begin your journey and start stocking your clinic, we are pleased to offer new graduates 10% off all stock for the first year after graduation.

All you need to do is send us proof of graduation, and your 10% discount will begin from your first order and continue for 12 months.

We are proud to support new graduates and look forward to being part of your journey as you build your practice.

Supporting the Next Generation of Herbal Practitioners – Thank you for reading!

We are committed to supporting students and graduates at every stage of their journey into herbal medicine and natural health. Whether through in-person visits, online experiences, educational talks, or ongoing professional support, our aim is to make the transition from learning to practice as accessible, inspiring, and supported as possible.

We believe in sharing knowledge, building connections, and helping the next generation grow with confidence. Whatever stage you are at, we are here to support you - and we look forward to being part of your journey.

Have any ideas about how we could support you? We would love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@herbalapothecaryuk.com