Ayurveda Not a Licensed Medical Field in the U.S., Practitioners Offer Wellness Guidance
In the United States, Ayurveda is not recognized as a licensed medical field, meaning no U.S. board confers an Ayurvedic doctorate or grants a medical license for its practice. Consequently, individuals trained in Ayurveda in the U.S. are accurately referred to as 'certified Ayurvedic practitioners' rather than 'Ayurvedic doctors.' This distinction is crucial because while the term 'Ayurvedic doctor' is common in India and other countries where practitioners hold a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree—a recognized medical qualification—it does not translate to a licensed medical status in the U.S. Ayurvedic practitioners in the U.S. typically undergo formal coursework and credentialing, often recognized by professional bodies like the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), which sets minimum training hours and recognizes different levels of expertise, such as Ayurvedic Vaidya. Their role is to provide wellness guidance, focusing on holistic approaches to health through diet, lif...
