ACHS highlights herbal medicine role at AHG symposium

American College of Healthcare Sciences leaders took part in the American Herbalists Guild’s 36th Annual Symposium in North Carolina, using the event to connect with the herbal medicine field and bring current industry trends back to students. The appearance also reinforced ACHS’s focus on evidence-informed education, professional readiness and visibility in a fast-growing herbal supplement market.

Why it matters: - ACHS says direct participation in professional herbal medicine events helps the school prepare students for work in a market that is expanding in retail sales, clinical practice and consumer demand. - The symposium also gave ACHS a chance to strengthen relationships with practitioners, educators, alumni and prospective students in the herbal medicine community. - ACHS said the engagement supports student readiness in herbal safety, ethics, sustainability and evidence evaluation.

What happened: - ACHS leaders attended the American Herbalists Guild’s 36th Annual Symposium, held Aug. 14-16, 2026, in Black Mountain, North Carolina. - Dr. Judith Thompson, dean of herbal medicine, and Dr. Lorraine Young, assistant professor of herbal studies, represented ACHS at the event. - The symposium brought together herbalists, educators, students, practitioners and herbal enthusiasts from across the U.S. - AHG centered the 2026 meeting on “Facilitating Regulation: The Role of Clinical Herbalism in Autoimmunity & Chronic Conditions.”

The details: - The symposium included lectures, workshops, clinical intensives, plant walks, panel discussions, networking and community engagement. - ACHS said the event helps faculty bring current field perspectives back into academic programs. - Areas of student preparation highlighted by ACHS included chronic health conditions, professional ethics and the integration of traditional knowledge with contemporary research. - Dr. Thompson said the symposium created meaningful conversations with herbalists, students, alumni and prospective students. - ACHS joined Sustainable Herbs Initiative colleagues, including Mountain Rose Herbs, as sponsors. - ACHS said it was the only accredited herbal medicine school represented at the conference. - The school also shared information about its work to advance the herbal medicine field. - The broader botanical sector reached $13.23 billion in U.S. retail herbal supplement sales in 2024, up 5.4% from 2023, according to the American Botanical Council’s HerbalGram market report. - Growth areas cited in the market report included personalized supplement stacks, women’s health and healthy aging and longevity.

Between the lines: - ACHS is using professional conference participation as a recruitment, partnership and curriculum signal, not just a networking exercise. - The school’s emphasis on evidence-informed education reflects a push to balance traditional herbal knowledge with regulatory, safety and research expectations in the field. - The company’s visibility as the only accredited herbal medicine school at the symposium appears aimed at reinforcing brand differentiation.

What's next: - ACHS said continued engagement with professional organizations will remain part of its approach to evidence-informed education and graduate preparation. - The school also tied the symposium presence to its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, including professional development, alumni outcomes, brand partnerships and global presence. - ACHS plans to keep strengthening its role in integrative health and herbal medicine through professional relationships and field engagement.

The bottom line: - ACHS is betting that closer ties to the herbal medicine community will help it sharpen programs, expand visibility and prepare graduates for a changing integrative health market.