 Naturopathic Physicians are licensed to diagnose and treat disease. Naturopathic Medical Doctors (NMDs or NDs) can provide their patients with a broad base of treatments that involve natural and non-prescription based medicine. Naturopathic Doctors are skilled in diagnosis and treatment of disease utilizing natural therapeutics including clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, and hydrotherapy. They tailor these approaches to the needs of each individual patient. Naturopathic medicine is effective in treating most health problems, whether acute or chronic. Naturopathic Doctors cooperate with all other branches within the medical field, referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate. What Kind of Training Do Naturopathic Doctors Receive? Education As with all physicians, Naturopathic Doctors are trained at accredited, four to five-year, post-graduate medical institutions. The training consists of a comprehensive study of the conventional medical sciences, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, immunology, clinical and physical diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis, cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, etc, as well as detailed study of a wide variety of natural therapies. In their last two years of their intensive clinical training, they learn how to integrate the principles of naturopathic medicine into clinical practice. Are Naturopathic Doctors Licensed? Naturopathic Doctors are currently licensed in 15 states: Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Kansas, Vermont, the District of Columbia and Minnesota (which just passed their licensing law). However, there are naturopathic doctors in every state in the US. In states where naturopathic medicine is not recognized, NDs most commonly obtain other licenses and work within the scope of their practices while offering naturopathic care. There are active licensing efforts going on in many states. In California, the Naturopathic Doctors Act, was signed into law and went into effect in January, 2004. The first naturopathic doctors were licensed in California in January 2005 after the establishment of a state bureau to implement the new law. Copyright 2011 Clement K. Lee, ND. All rights Reserved |