Naturopathic Medicine is another title for what you may call Alternative or Complementary Medicine. It is a profession of healthcare which emphasizes prevention and treatment of illness and the promotion of optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and modalities which address the whole person and the body’s inherent healing abilities. The principles of Naturopathic Medicine focus on identifying and treating the cause of an illness, rather than masking or suppressing symptoms. Therapeutic modalities which cause harmful side effects are avoided and the least force necessary is used to diagnose and treat an illness.

What is a Naturopathic Doctor (ND)?

A Naturopathic doctor is a doctor who is an expert in complementary medicines such as herbal medicine, nutritional science, naturopathic physical medicine, environmental medicine and homeopathy.

What can you tell me about naturopathic medical education?

To obtain a naturopathic medical degree (N.D.) that qualifies the recipient to sit for a licensing examination in a state with a licensing board and standards of practice, students must attend a 4- year medical program following the completion of a bachelor’s degree and premed requirements. The following schools offer such training:

Bastyr University Naturopathic Medicine Program 14500 Juanita Drive, N.E. Kenmore,Washington 98028-4966 425.823.1300   425.823.6222	www.bastyr.edu
The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine 1255 Sheppard Avenue East North York, Ontario M2K 1E2 Canada 416.498.1255  416.498.1576	www.ccnm.edu
National College of Naturopathic Medicine Naturopathic Medicine Program 049 S.W. Porter Portland, Oregon 97201 503.499.4343  503.499.0022	www.ncnm.edu
Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences 2140 E. Broadway Road Tempe, Arizona 85282 480.858.9100  480.858.0222	www.scnm.edu
Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine 200-668 Carnarvon Street New Westminster, BC V3M 5Y6 604.777.9981  604.777.9982	www.binm.org
College of Naturopathic Medicine University of Bridgeport 60 Lafayette Street Bridgeport, Connecticut 06601 203.576.4109  203.576.4107	www.bridgeport.edu

What are the similarities and differences of 4-year naturopathic medical schools and conventional medical schools?

Naturopathic medical schools focus a great deal more on teaching nutrition, herbal medicine, physical medicine, holistic philosophy and homeopathy than conventional medical schools. In fact, most conventional medical schools offer no more than one or two introductory classes in alternative medicines.

What steps must a naturopathic doctor complete before becoming licensed?

All naturopathic doctors must graduate from a federally accredited 4-year naturopathic medical school and pass a national board exam called NPLEX before becoming licensed. NPLEX follows the same standards as the National Board of Medical Examiners, the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.

What are the similarities and differences between a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and a Medical Doctor (MD)?

Naturopathic doctors are experts in complementary medicines and medical doctors are experts in drug therapy and/or surgery. Both forms of medicine work well together because both ND’s and MD’s ‘speak the same language’ as they are both trained in western medicine and use scientific research to support their clinical practices.

How do conventional medical doctors interact with naturopathic doctors?  Medical doctors have a wide range of opinions regarding naturopathic medicine.  Some medical doctors are very comfortable co-treating patients who receive naturopathic care.  Other medical doctors are unreceptive to alternative therapies. Patients interested in a comprehensive approach to his or her health care should ask their physicians if they are open to working with alternative medicine providers. 

Is there scientific evidence to support the use of naturopathic medicines? If so, how come my medical doctor doesn’t know about these clinical studies?

There is a lot of scientific evidence to support the use of herbal medicine as well as nutritional medicine and homeopathy. The National Library of Medicine, in fact, has a medical research database called PubMed which, as of December 2003, contains over 700 and 3500 positive, peer-review, double blind placebo-controlled studies on herbal medicines and nutritional supplements, respectively.

Results from these clinical studies are not incorporated into the curriculum of most conventional medical schools. As a result, most medical doctors are not familiar with the research on naturopathic medicine. After they graduate, they are often too busy to go the library and look up the research themselves. Most of their new knowledge comes from drug representatives and a few journals to which they may subscribe.

Are naturopathic medicines safe?

Naturopathic medicines are very safe if used under the proper supervision of a licensed naturopathic doctor who is well trained in both traditional and conventional applications of the specific medicines and the scientific literature behind these applications. Many adverse effects from dietary supplements occur in people who “self-diagnose” and “self-prescribe” or in people seeing unqualified healthcare practitioners. Adverse effects often occur in people, for example, who are taking more than the recommended amount or who are on a drug or have a condition which negatively interacts with a dietary supplement. A naturopathic doctor from a 4-year federally accredited naturopathic medical school has had extensive training in prescribing dietary supplements and knows how to properly monitor a patient for any adverse effects.

How does the training of naturopathic doctors from accredited 4-year naturopathic medical schools differ from that of correspondence schools?

Naturopathic doctors from federally accredited naturopathic medicals school receive far more training in Western medicine than naturopaths from correspondence naturopathic programs.

Curriculum at one of the four, 4-year federally accredited Naturopathic medical schools:

Curriculum at one of the naturopathic correspondence schools:

Is there a public demand for licensed naturopathic doctors?

According to a survey published in 1998 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 42.1% of Americans use some form of alternative medicine, especially herbal and nutritional supplements. This article also concluded that visits to alternative health practitioners increased by 47.3% between 1990 and 1997. Because conventional medical schools offer very few courses in alternative medicine, medical doctors are inadequately trained to properly advise patients on taking herbal and nutritional supplements. Licensed naturopathic doctors, however, have the most training of any healthcare practitioner in complementary therapies.

Are naturopathic doctors opposed to pharmaceutical drugs and major surgery?

No.  Naturopathic doctors are not opposed to these measures when they are necessary.  Naturopathic doctors make referrals for such treatment as appropriate. 

Is naturopathic medicine covered by medical insurance?   

Ask your medical insurer about coverage for naturopathic medicine.  Some insurance companies have covered naturopathic care in Massachusetts. In Oregon, Washington, and some other states there is widespread insurance coverage for naturopathic doctors.

Is naturopathic medicine cost-effective?

Yes.  Because naturopathic doctors use a preventive approach that reduces the incidence of high-cost chronic conditions, naturopathic medicine reduces long-term health care costs.  Also, naturopathic doctors’ focus of finding and treating the cause of disease often reduces the need for expensive surgical procedures and prescription drugs, thereby reducing expensive ongoing care.