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Primal Health Coach Institute: Health Coaching in Medical Practices Specialist Certification Course

Primal Health Coach Institute with Judith Boyce

Designed for certified health coaches who want to work in clinical settings, this online certification covers the U.S. healthcare system, medical ethics, scope-of-practice basics, evidence-based patient coaching, and a structured job-search roadmap for landing a role in a medical practice.

Modules: 6 Modules
Duration: 30h
Certification: certificate of completion
Format: self-paced
Skill level: advanced
Career pathway: advanced training

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Course program

The Health Coaching in Medical Practices Specialist Certification Course by Primal Health Coach Institute trains existing health coaches to step confidently into clinical settings. Built around the core competencies set by the Institute of Medicine for healthcare providers, the program focuses on the specific knowledge and tools coaches need to coach patients alongside physicians, nurses, and clinic staff.

This course is for coaches who already hold a health coach credential and want to expand into a medical setting. It assumes you can coach the general population and prepares you for the specific demands of patient work. It is also a fit for coaches building a referral-based practice with private MDs or clinics, and for those exploring a clinical career path.

The curriculum is delivered across six written chapters. You start with an overview of the U.S. healthcare system and why medical practices increasingly need health coaches, then move into the specific patient populations you will be working with and the qualities that set health coaches apart from other clinical roles.

From there the course covers medical ethics and professional conduct, the kinds of coaching techniques sanctioned by mainstream medicine, and how to design your own evidence-based patient program. You learn to evaluate the programs you run with individual patients, work with the electronic health record system, and stay compliant with HIPAA. The final chapter focuses on practical job-search skills, including sample telephone and email scripts, a practice assessment, a CV template, and insider guidance on how to approach busy medical providers and present a useful proposal for collaboration.

The program is fully self-paced and delivered online. Each of the six chapters contains learning objectives, an overview, a glossary, lessons, and practical resources you can apply immediately, and ends with an exam. There is a final exam at the end of the course; if you score below 75 percent you can review and retake. Students keep lifetime access to the material and join a private Facebook community of coaches and Primal Health Coach Institute staff.

Meet your teacher

Judith Boyce

Integrative primary care physician and certified Primal Health Coach. Recently retired from medical practice to develop vibrant health and longevity coaching programs and retreats for women over 50.