Bastyr University Reviews of Master's in Holistic Medicine

"Going to Bastyr was the worst financial decision I ever made. I followed a dream of wanting to pursue a career that I thought was very interesting and would be enjoyable while also being able to take care of my health doing it. I didn't care so much about making a lot of money doing it; I just wanted to make enough to live a comfortable middle class life. I thought the satisfaction of being able to live a healthy lifestyle would outweigh everything else. Studying Acupuncture was in fact interesting, but nowhere near worth the price tag of Bastyr. The beauty of the campus is the best thing it has going for it. The ratio of the money most people make coming out of Bastyr compared to the amount of student loans one has to take on going to Bastyr is way out of balance, in my opinion. The websites that tell you how much Acupuncturists make are grossly inaccurate. Six months after graduation, my student loan payment was roughly $1000, after about $82,000 borrowed. Six months after graduation was not nearly enough time to start making the kind of money necessary to start paying that kind of expense off for me. I was not able pay down the debt fast enough for the interest on the loans to start accumulating making it very difficult to even touch the principle. I will probably now be living with these student loans for the rest of my life. I wish I would have chosen to pursue a more practical degree at a more affordable college because the amount of financial turmoil I am burdened with because of going to Bastyr is not worth it. If you are taking out loans to go to Bastyr, then plan on paying off two mortgages if you ever want to buy a house."

"Bastyr University (Kenmore campus) is an alternative health college set in an absolutely beautiful environment. Surrounded by a State Park filled with trails, access to the gorgeous Lake Washington, and rich herb gardens, this campus has everything students need to center themselves while learning to become healthcare practitioners. Bastyr University is the perfect place to meet students and professionals in all fields of alternative medicine. Students of naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and herbal medicines, psychology, nutrition and sports science, amongst many other professional pursuits, are able to share knowledge, develop projects, and share friendships. Attending Bastyr University has helped me develop the skills I need to create the future of my dreams, while providing me with nourishing foods, resourceful nature and precious friendships for life!"

"Bastyr is a smaller school with about 2,000 students when counting both locations (Seattle area & San Diego). The campus is beautiful. On St. Edward's state park with the botanical gardens in the back. Even though one is so close to the city, it can feel like one is far away from the crazy busy city. Campus is a great place to study. Clinic is in Wallingford area in Seattle. Parking is a pain in the butt so I choose to live close to campus then take the school shuttle provided. Saving money, not having to move a car every 2 hours like others. Tickets are expensive too so make sure to move your car onto a new block every 2 hours or else you will get tagged. In the acupuncture & east asian program, by the time you are 2 years into the program mostly all classes will be at clinic which makes it nice when half the time is spent in clinicals. The school just recently got a new president last quarter so not much has happened yet. The school is going through many other changes with old professors leaving & new ones joining. My co-hort is great. Studying alone would not get you through the program. Need to be able to rely on others around you."

"Bastyr is a great university with diverse professors providing in depth knowledge from other countries; we are exposed to many Chinese Doctors in the acupuncture program (acupuncture originated in China) and other countries that gives more depth to your education. The school has many great programs that expose us to other clinicians that we can network with and learn from once we are professionals. The elective classes offered also enhance your training and knowledge. For instance, I am able to get trained in Cranio Sacral work with taking electives in my program that will enhance my practice and I will have more to offer my patients once I am graduated."

"This program is far and away the most comprehensive program in the United States, in my opinion. The scope of teaching is wide and covers everything from the Ancient Chinese classics to the more modern therapies such as electro-acupuncture. The University's medical clinic is state of the art and the supervisors are professional and highly skilled. The internship and presceptorship opportunities help build clinical skills and business skills. Over all, Bastyr's Acupuncture and East Asian Medical school teaches not just the methods and theories of an ancient medicine but also the integration of that medicine into modern western medical environments."

"All the programs at Bastyr are in natural medicine. So the networking begins right away with being able to meet future practitioners. It's fascinating to learn how some of the programs are similar and different through talking with fellow students. Dual tracking is an option for those who want more. The majority of our professors have been practicing for an average of 25 years so the wisdom they bring to the class is outstanding. Parking at the campus is a struggle but carpooling is a great solution. I have not graduated yet but still in the process of learning. When we the students have an issue, there are faulty members ready to listen and make action to solve the issue."

"Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington is one of the most advanced science-based natural medicine Universities in the United States. The inclusive community on campus as well as the clinical community at Bastyr Center for Natural Health provides a safe and sacred space to learn our trade. I live in Tacoma, Washington and have a family with two children. Despite the traffic, and the distance, I am fortunate enough to be a part of this community and gain knowledge of what will soon be my life's work. The seasoned staff is adept at both clinical and classical experience. Having the teachers in the classroom and working alongside them in the clinic help with actualizing our material and experience. Wouldn't trade this for the world."

"This program is challenging, but not unreasonably so. I have gotten significant clinical experience in my first year. The campus is amazingly beautiful and offers many activities. It is also very expensive. Financial aid does not always cover the entire expense and I have had to get a weekend job to afford living expenses."

"The Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs program at Bastyr University is one of the best in the country. Not only is it one of the very few accredited acupuncture masters programs, it is host to both state wide and national leaders in the ever growing acupuncture discipline. Bastyr University offers other graduate and doctoral programs in alternative medicine such as naturopathy, nutrition, and bioscience. In result, the school offers a rich fabric of healers all coming from different angles but with the same end goal of helping the health of the national and international community."

"For those who have pushed themselves during their undergraduate studies, the programs at Bastyr are enough of a challenge to make the work fun and straight-forward enough to still have a life outside of school. No other school can compare in the surrounding environment as Bastyr is completely engulfed by a beautiful forest adjacent to a lake. There are many great clubs and campus food services offer local, healthy cuisine. Bastyr is a private school and is not cheap, but you get what you pay for and I have no regrets."

"It is a good university and staff and personnel are very nice."

"Pros: Sets up students to sit for Boards. Great exposure to relevance of studies to real world applications. Opportunity to explore the cultural and historical roots of program. Amazing campus environment. "Small town" kind of feel- everyone knows everyone. Cons: Expensive city to live in means more loan money taken out to survive on. There is so much to do locally it can be a distraction from studies. "Program Isolation" or the blinders effect occurs- students from different programs don't tend to interact much."

"Bastyr offers a wide range of programs in the Natural Health and Medicine field. Pros: Bastyr has a great reputation. It is a small, private university and class sizes are very manageable and access to faculty is very easy. The core faculty is brilliant and offers a wealth of knowledge and experience. The Bastyr community offers many clubs and organizations, it is competitive and most faculty take a lot of pride in subjects they teach. Cons: The administration seems shut down to student concerns and many classes are taught by adjunct faculty barely qualified. Just in my program alone the turn over for faculty has been extensive. The university appears to not have a handle on recruiting the best quality professors and a recent Dean change in one of the programs leaves many promises unanswered."