STUDENT PROFILES

THOMAS COFFMAN, DIHOM(Pract), DHM, FBIH

Thomas Coffman from Iowa, pictured at our previous office in Staines receiving his Postgraduate Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine

Thomas Coffman is from Iowa, USA. Whilst serving in submarines in the US Navy in the Pacific he began working towards his goal of becoming a Homeopathic Practitioner on his retirement from the Navy.

He contacted The British Institute in 1997 and enrolled for the General Diploma Course in homeopathy which he completed successfully in 1999. He immediately embarked on the Homeopathy in Practice (Advanced Case Taking and Repertorisation) Course and followed this by taking the Postgraduate Course. He joined The British Institute because he "needed a college that would fit in with my working shifts in my submarine ". His tutor throughout was Vivienne Freeman.

During his Clinical Internship with The British Institute which followed, Thomas came to England to complete his clinical hours. "After my first meeting with the wonderful staff at Staines I was sitting in on live cases within a few days where I developed unique experience and relationships". 
Thomas was awarded his Diploma at Practitioner Level DIHom(Pract) and his Postgraduate Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine DHM in 2003.. 
In November 2004 he contacted The British Institute. He told us he now runs a thriving homeopathic practice in America and he says he has 'just seen my 846th patient since January and it is still increasing". His initial fee is US$300. He is enjoying his title, Homeopathic Practitioner, he says.

MICHELLE GOSNEY, BA(Hons), DIHOM(Pract), ITEC, FBIH

Prizewinner 1000 receiving the award from Charles Tankard-Hahnemann

With an honours degree in the arts, Michelle Gosney studied reflexology, sports massage and physical therapy, gaining a Diploma in 1996.

Wanting to broaden her holistic base, Michelle enrolled with The British Institute of Homeopathy to study for the General Diploma in Homeopathy and was awarded her DIHom in 1999.

She continued her studies in The British Institute integrated, distance learning programme by taking the Homeopathy in Practice (Advanced Case Taking and Repertorisation Course) and attended registered homeopathic clinics participating in our practitioner programme, covering 137 live cases. She also attended various seminars including those run by the UK professional bodies. She was awarded the Diploma of The British Institute of Homeopathy at Practitioner Level -the coveted DIHom(Pract). In 2001, she became a Fellow of The British Institute.

Throughout her studies, Michelle's grades made her our highest achieving student and she was awarded The Samuel Hahnemann Prize by the Patron of The British Institute, William Tankard-Hahnemann. The award and ceremony took place at the previous offices of The British Institute in Staines. It was presented by our Patron's son Charles Tankard-Hahnemann (great, great, great grandson of the founder of modern homeopathy) owing to his father's indisposition. The ceremony was attended by our staff, Michelle's family and friends and celebrated at a special luncheon at a local hotel.

Michelle now runs a very busy practice in Portsmouth, England.  

DR. LIN BERWICK, MBE, Hon DCL, DIHOM, DHM, FBIH  

Lin Berwick lives in Norfolk, England. Lin was born with cerebral palsy and became blind at an early age. She is confined to a wheelchair. 

Lin was awarded a British Institute scholarship as a blind and disabled student in 1987 to study for the General Diploma in Homeopathy. She showed tremendous courage and determination in overcoming the immense difficulties she found in studying. She used all the latest technology, such as a Kurzweil electronic reader and a Braille computer. The British Institute produced a Braille copy of The Organon (in association with The Royal National Institute for the the Fellowship of the British Institute in Blind) for Lin and copies are now available free to other blind students of homeopathy.

In 1990, on completion of her arduous studies, Lin was awarded her DIHom Diploma with above average marks, and she promptly embarked on the Postgraduate Course. She was awarded her DHM in 1994 and became a Fellow of The British Institute a year later. 
Subsequently, she was appointed a Counsellor and Tutor for other blind and disabled students of The British Institute. No better person could provide the empathy and understanding needed for this task! 
Lin started to practice homeopathy in 1995 and formed The Lin Berwick Trust for holiday accommodation for disabled people. 

Honorary Degree

In October 2003, Lin was conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law at the University of East  Anglia for her services to blind and disabled people.

Award of MBE  

In November 2003, Dr Lin Berwick, having featured in The Queen's Honours List, was presented with the award of MBE by HRH Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, London for her services to homeopathy and blind and disabled people. Lin has brought honour to herself and to The British Institute.

JACQUELINE SHEARER

Jacqueline is Swiss, living in Newmarket in England. She qualified in homeopathy with The British Institute in 1999 and now puts all her energy into working with the Shewula Health Integration Project in Swaziland. She has established a homeopathic clinic and nursing home in Shewula for orphans and families who are victims of the famine, living in poverty and AIDS-HIV. She is treating over 700 orphans at the present time.

She looks after eighteen areas where she runs five clinics as well as treating 700 orphans in six schools. Some people travel over two hours on foot to reach her clinics where she treats up to fifty patients a day - all orphans and old people free of charge. She is working twelve to fourteen hours each day.

There is a severe water shortage as wells have dried up in a drought but Jacqueline has been able to secure ten tons of water and transport weekly for the community.

HIV orphan children waiting for homeopathic treatment by Jacqueline Shearer near Shewula in north east Swaziland

She has now been given two acres of land and has the full protection of the local chief. On this land she is building a permanent clinic and nursing home - traditional building with four rooms and a thatched roof and will even have electricity and telephone.

Jacqueline is also busy training local people in basic homeopathy to assist her in her work. The British Institute launched a campaign to get books to help her train local people in homeopathy. When she is in UK Jacqueline organises events to raise money for the people of Swaziland.

British Institute graduate Jacqueline Shearer treating orphans at her mobile open air clinic in Swaziland as part of her 14-hour working day

Any British Institute clinical intern can visit her clinic to gain experience. They will find it very exciting but also very arduous. This can be arranged through the registrar in Egham.

TOP - Jacqueline photographed at her home in Cambridge with her tutor Vivienne Freeman who is delivering a supply of books 
BOTTOM - Jacqueline with another gift for the people of Shewula from The British Institute 

Dr. LUC DE SCHEPPER, MD, PhD, DIHom, Lic.Ac., FBIH

British Institute Graduate's latest book: 'Achieving and Maintaining the Simillium'

You will be interested to know that another past student of The British Institute has distinguished himself in the field of classical homeopathy.

When living in Santa Monica, California, Dr De Schepper studied with The British Institute under the tutelage of our director and principal Dr Trevor Cook, and gained his DIHom Diploma in 1992. 

Today he is known to hundreds of students as a brilliant and inspiring lecturer and to thousands of patients. He promptly introduced classical homeopathy into his practice and now provides professional training in Boston USA. He lectured recently at one of our British Institute seminars in Orleans, Ontario, Canada.  

His first book, Homeopathy Revisited: A Textbook in Classical Homeopathy for the professional was published in 1999 and received great acclaim. This was followed by Homeopathy and the Periodic Table, generally considered one of the best modern textbooks. 

Dr De Schepper's latest book, Achieving and Maintaining the Simillium, Strategic Case Management for Successful Homeopathic Prescribing, has just been published in the USA and has been well received. 

The British Institute of Homeopathy takes pride in recording this major contribution to the progress of classical homeopathy by yet another student who studied with us by distance learning and we wish him continuing success in the future.