diff --git a/kwave/enums.py b/kwave/enums.py
index d17fdb3d..931cbea5 100644
--- a/kwave/enums.py
+++ b/kwave/enums.py
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 from enum import Enum
 
+
+class AlphaMode(str, Enum):
+    """Controls which absorption/dispersion terms are included in the equation of state."""
+
+    NO_ABSORPTION = "no_absorption"
+    NO_DISPERSION = "no_dispersion"
+    STOKES = "stokes"
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self.value
+
+
 ################################################################
 # literals that link the discrete cosine and sine transform types with
 # their type definitions in the functions dtt1D, dtt2D, and dtt3D
diff --git a/kwave/kmedium.py b/kwave/kmedium.py
index 2886299d..84b7186a 100644
--- a/kwave/kmedium.py
+++ b/kwave/kmedium.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import List
+from typing import List, Optional, Union
 
 import numpy as np
 
 import kwave.utils.checks
+from kwave.enums import AlphaMode
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -20,8 +21,8 @@ class kWaveMedium(object):
     # power law absorption exponent
     alpha_power: np.array = None
     # optional input to force either the absorption or dispersion terms in the equation of state to be excluded;
-    # valid inputs are 'no_absorption' or 'no_dispersion'
-    alpha_mode: np.array = None
+    # valid inputs are AlphaMode.NO_ABSORPTION, AlphaMode.NO_DISPERSION, or the equivalent strings
+    alpha_mode: Optional[Union[AlphaMode, str]] = None
     # frequency domain filter applied to the absorption and dispersion terms in the equation of state
     alpha_filter: np.array = None
     # two element array used to control the sign of absorption and dispersion terms in the equation of state
@@ -43,6 +44,8 @@ class kWaveMedium(object):
 
     def __post_init__(self):
         self.sound_speed = np.atleast_1d(self.sound_speed)
+        if isinstance(self.alpha_mode, str) and not isinstance(self.alpha_mode, AlphaMode):
+            self.alpha_mode = AlphaMode(self.alpha_mode)
 
     def check_fields(self, kgrid_shape: np.ndarray) -> None:
         """
@@ -54,13 +57,12 @@ def check_fields(self, kgrid_shape: np.ndarray) -> None:
         Returns:
             None
         """
-        # check the absorption mode input is valid
-        if self.alpha_mode is not None:
-            assert self.alpha_mode in [
-                "no_absorption",
-                "no_dispersion",
-                "stokes",
-            ], "medium.alpha_mode must be set to 'no_absorption', 'no_dispersion', or 'stokes'."
+        # check the absorption mode input is valid (already normalized to AlphaMode in __post_init__)
+        if self.alpha_mode is not None and not isinstance(self.alpha_mode, AlphaMode):
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"medium.alpha_mode must be an AlphaMode enum value or one of "
+                f"'no_absorption', 'no_dispersion', 'stokes', got {self.alpha_mode!r}"
+            )
 
         # check the absorption filter input is valid
         if self.alpha_filter is not None and not (self.alpha_filter.shape == kgrid_shape).all():