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The best online schools for medical cannabis training

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The best online schools for medical cannabis training

Table of contents

With medical marijuana now legal in three dozen states (and counting), it’s only understandable that more and more people are looking to boost their knowledge of medicinal cannabis. They may be health care professionals who didn’t learn about cannabis in medical school, or just everyday cannabis fans or patients who would like to learn more about how cannabis works. 

Today, online cannabis schools provide comprehensive courses on medical marijuana, the science of cannabis, how it can be used to treat all types of ailments and diseases, and how it works. 

Here are the best online schools for medical marijuana training. 

1
  • Specifically designed for healthcare practitioners
  • Covers a very wide range of subjects
  • Includes access to a private forum for students
2
  • Includes hands-on project necessary to earn the certificate
  • Graded
  • Practice quizzes, assignments, access to peer feedback
3
  • Access for a complete year to all class materials
  • Every video lesson is easy to follow
  • Students can interact with Dr. Fisher
4
  • Team pricing available
  • Mobile friendly
  • All lessons and quizzes accessible for one year
5
  • Monthly live webinars
  • Discussion boards to cat with fellow students
  • Group training packages available

Green Flower – Medical Applications of Cannabis Certificate Program

Who it’s best for: Healthcare practitioners who want to gain a comprehensive scientific understanding of how cannabis interacts with the human body. 
Degrees/certificates offered: Medical applications of cannabis certificate
Tuition Cost: $297
Accreditation: Green Flower partners with at least a dozen universities, including Northwest Missouri State University, University of San Diego, Florida Atlantic University, and Northern Michigan University, among others 

Highlights: 

  • Specifically designed for healthcare practitioners  
  • Covers a very wide range of subjects 
  • Includes access to a private forum for students to connect and support one another 

Customer reviews:

It helped me tremendously to expand my knowledge of the Cannabis world and increase my professional exposure. It was one of the best choices I ever made for my career. Thank you Green Flower.

Dr. Pierre Milot

The program helped validate my knowledge and enhanced my credentials as an advocate and educator.

Irene Donohue 

Designed by leading medical experts, Green Flower Media’s Medical Applications of Cannabis Certificate Program is a program that was specifically-designed for healthcare practitioners who want to increase their knowledge of the science of cannabis and how it interacts with the human body. 

The 12 hour program includes 14 separate sessions with multiple classes each. The topics of the sessions include history of medical cannabis, applications of CBD, cannabis mechanisms of action, how cannabis affects various demographics, the endocannabinoid system, side-effects and risks of consumption, using medical cannabis for different diseases and ailments, cannabis and psychiatry, evidence-based practice, proper dosing, and legal implications for medical cannabis practitioners, among others. 

According to Green Flower, the program can help doctors “learn the facts about cannabis medicine so you can incorporate it into your practice,” while also helping nurses learn how to provide relief to their patients without the use of prescription drugs. Finally, Green Flower states that educators can use the program to provide their students with a clear understanding of the ways cannabis interacts with the body. 


University of Colorado at Boulder’s Medical Cannabis Specialization 

Who it’s best for: Patients and health care providers who want to learn about the benefits and risks of medical cannabis treatment
Degrees/certificates offered: Medical Cannabis Specialization 
Tuition Cost: Free
Accreditation: University of Colorado Boulder 

Highlights: 

  • Every student takes part in a hands-on project necessary to earn the certificate 
  • Graded 
  • Practice quizzes, assignments, hands on project plus access to peer feedback  

Customer Reviews:

AMAZINGLY in-depth information coming from the very latest scientific research. Some of the studies covered in the class had just been released days before it was posted. Extremely impressive, and very valuable!

Danielle M. 

Well organized course with clear and engaging lectures. The materials are good references and the literature well assembled. As an educator myself, I appreciated the course flow, the content, and Dr.  Hutchinson’s expertise and delivery.  Thank you.

Luann D F 

Medical Cannabis: The Health Effects of THC and CBD specialization course is a free and very informative and accessible course for patients, health care providers and anyone else curious about medical cannabis to learn all about its health benefits and potential risks – and the science of how it works. 

The course is run through the University of Colorado at Boulder, and according to the administrator, students who enroll will learn the basic pharmacology of cannabis and how cannabinoids affect the body, the history of cannabis cultivation and legality, the barriers and approaches to cannabis research, and the epidemiological data on cannabis use in terms of cognition, education, and behavior.

The four courses offered in the program are History of Medical Cannabis, Cannabis, Chronic Pain, and Related Disorders, Cannabis, Mental Health, and Brain Disorders, and Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research. 

The course also requires the completion of a hands-on project in order to receive a certificate. Students who finish the course will receive a shareable certificate, practice quizzes, access to videos and readings, and graded assignments and quizzes with feedback from their peers. 


CannDynamics – Medical Cannabis Fundamentals Basics

Who it’s best for: People looking to clear up the misconceptions around cannabis and gain a deep understanding of the science and intricacies of the plant 
Degrees/certificates offered: Medical cannabis course certificate of completion 
Tuition: The Medical Cannabis Fundamentals course costs $199 ($209 in Canada) paired with the Medical Cannabis Primer Book. $199 for medical cannabis fundamentals basics course. 
Accreditation: Approved by the Nevada Dispensary Association

Highlights: 

  • Access for a complete year to all class materials
  • Every video lesson is easy to follow and includes closed captioning 
  • Students can interact with Dr. Fisher and other students in the comments section
  • Didn’t pass a quiz? You can take them as many times as it takes to pass 

Customer Reviews:

I’ve never seen anything so complete, properly compiled, and easily comprehensible for literally anyone interested in seriously learning about cannabis as medicine.

Mike Robinson, Founder Global Cannabinoid Research Center

This compendium provides an unbiased, clear and concise overview of all the key information and supporting evidence for medical cannabis. This is precisely what every patient and healthcare provider needs to start making informed and rational decisions about the use of medical cannabis. 

Indeed user

Cannabis professionals and the cannabis curious can enjoy a four part, comprehensive education at an affordable price from the CannDynamics Medical Cannabis Fundamentals Basics course. 

The course is split into four sections: The Cannabis Plant, How Cannabis Works in the Body, Cannabis Safety & Efficacy, and Cannabis as Medicine. A very limited list of some of the subjects covered in the classes includes Hemp vs. Marijuana vs. Cannabis, Cannabis Compounds, Cannabis Decarboxylation and Extraction, the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), Cannabis Personalized Effects, and Cannabis Safety, among others. 

Students can take the entire class at their own pace and have access to all materials for an entire year. All of the lectures are in an easy to follow video format with closed captions. And the 6 quizzes can all be taken as many times as needed in order to get a passing grade. 

Also, students are able to interact directly with instructor Ruth Fisher, PhD and other students by way of the comments section under each lecture. 


The Medical Cannabis Institute – Medical Use of Cannabis v1.0

Who it’s best for: Healthcare providers seeking to gain basic knowledge about the use of medical cannabis.
Degrees/certificates offered: None (the clinical cannabinoid medicine study course does provide a certificate upon completion)
Tuition: $159


Accreditation: The school has a variety of accreditations including: Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Continuing Medical Education (CME), and Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) for some courses. Courses on state law and cannabis are approved by the New York State Department of Health, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, the Washington State Department of Health, and the New Mexico Medical Society (NMMS). 

Highlights: 

  • Team pricing available
  • Mobile friendly
  • All lessons and quizzes accessible for one year 

Customer Reviews:

It was all online, but what I learned was phenomenal! The hardest part of training was not being able to have any discussion, but I was able to complete in my own timeline.

Indeed user

Flexible class hours, Good teachers, Affordable, Good career preparation

Indeed user 

The Medical Use of Cannabis v1.0 course was specially designed to provide health practitioners with the essential knowledge needed “to develop an understanding of the clinical uses of medical cannabis to better advise patients,” according to the school. The school lists as under faculty Dr. Ethan Russo, MD, Director of Research at the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute (ICCI). 

According to the school, after finishing the course, students should be able to “describe the current landscape of recommending medical cannabis, evaluate the evidence for treating patient conditions with medical cannabis, discuss the pharmacology of cannabis and its effect on the endocannabinoid system, analyze use disorders and other patient precautions, analyze the effects of dosing and common delivery methods of medical cannabis.”

Registration includes full access to all lessons and quizzes for one year. All material can also be accessed from mobile devices. 


Healer – Medical Cannabis Core Curriculum

healer logo

Who it’s best for: Supplementing a healthcare practitioner’s practice 
Degrees/certificates offered: Medical cannabis core curriculum, dosage protocols and methodologies, CBD essentials and applications. 
Tuition: The $249 yearly subscription includes all three courses ($179.40 each for groups of 20 or more) 
Accreditation: Unknown

Highlights: 

  • Monthly live webinars 
  • Discussion boards to cat with fellow students 
  • Group training packages available
  • Doctor developed, interactive format 

Customer Reviews:

Flexible class hours, Good teachers, Affordable, Good career preparation

Liz H.

This is an excellent online program that helped me as a patient finally discover how to best use cannabis for healing.

Shawn G. 

For the single price of $249, students can receive a year of access to Healer’s three medical cannabis courses, including the medical cannabis core curriculum. 

The segments in the medical cannabis section of the course include the Endocannabinoid System: How and Why Cannabis Works, The Pharmacology of Cannabis, All about Terpenes, Potential Therapeutic Effects, The Adverse Effects of Cannabis Dosage, Forms of Medical Cannabis, Understanding Dosing and Absorption, Drug Interactions and Consumer Safety, Substance Use Disorders and Intoxication.

All of the courses were developed by Dr. Dustin Sulak, who has more than 10 years in practice and is a well known expert on cannabis medicine. Every student in the program receives access to monthly live webinars where they can ask questions of Dr. Sulak, as well as access to dozens of previously recorded webinars. 

The course also includes access to Healer’s patient information library, which includes a number of helpful guides including a vaporizer how-to guide and sublingual delivery dosage guide, to name just two, as well as a wide range of videos covering subjects like the endocannabinoid system, switching to tincture, and micro dosing, to name just a few. 


Why take an online medical marijuana course 

  • For continuing healthcare education
    For healthcare professionals who didn’t learn about cannabis in medical school or would like to better inform patients who ask them about medical marijuana, an online course can provide them the know-how they need to provide the right counsel. 
  • Patients who would like to better understand their medicine
    Countless people have found that cannabis helps them with all sorts of health conditions, but they don’t always understand the how or why. An online cannabis course can give them a better understanding and appreciation of their medicine – and how it works. 
  • If you are considering medical marijuana – oir would like to make the case for it
    Many patients would like to try medical marijuana but are perhaps put off by the stigma that still surrounds it. Others are true believers, but don’t fully know how to make the case for medical cannabis. An online course can provide these people with the facts and science they need to make better informed decisions and speak with more authority about medical cannabis. 

How online cannabis courses work 

Online cannabis courses are a digital solution to the fact that traditional colleges and schools have for the most part overlooked medical marijuana. 

The courses provide video lectures, webinars, and written materials compiled by a wide variety of medical experts and scientists, who often also serve as the lecturers. 

The courses typically include quizzes and a certificate upon completion, which can serve as a helpful credential for people on the job hunt, or anyone who wants to beef up their resume for the cannabis industry. 

And one of the best things about these programs is that they are typically very flexible, and allow students to complete the material at their own pace. 

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