Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

This article is about the accredited alternative medicine degrees held by naturopathic primary health care providers in North America. For information about the differences between these and other programs in North America and worldwide, see Naturopathy.

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Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND or in Arizona "Naturopathic Medical Doctor" or NMD), in 16 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces refers exclusively to a medical degree granted by an accredited naturopathic medical school.^[1] While these degrees may be held by people outside of these states and provinces, in most other jurisdictions, the terms are unprotected and may be used by anyone, regardless of educational level. Practitioners who hold such a degree may also legally use the title 'doctor' in certain jurisdictions, but not in others. Equivalent professional titles may be reserved for ND/NMDs in other jurisdictions (Naturopathic Doctor, Naturopathic Physician, Naturopath), or there may be no legally protected title. This article discusses the accredited North American degree.

Those holding the accredited North America degrees generally practice as primary care providers of naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic medicine employs complementary and alternative medical therapies within the context of mainstream medicine, which help improve the body's intrinsic ability to heal and maintain itself.^[2] Practitioners of naturopathic medicine prefer to use natural remedies such as botanical tinctures/medicinal herbs and foods rather than synthetic drugs. Naturopathic medical practice includes many different modalities. Practitioners emphasize a holistic approach to patient care, and may recommend that patients use conventional medicine alongside their treatments.

History of the naturopathic degree

The 19th century: the nature doctor and drugless therapy

The lineage of the naturopathic medical tradition is traced back to the hydrotherapy tradition of Eastern Europe, and particularly the influence of Vincenz Priessnitz. As the treatments of these practitioners grew to encompass diet & lifestyle counseling, and botanical medicine, Bavarian physician Lorenz Gleich (1798–1865) first advocated for the use of the term “naturarzt”, or nature doctor.

This tradition first became well known globally in the late 19th century through the successes of Bavarian priest Sebastian Kneipp. Kneipp influenced Benedict Lust to open the American School of Naturopathy in New York City, in 1901, the first naturopathic school in the world. Lust also founded the American Naturopathic Association, the first naturopathic professional organization. Other early American schools granting the ND degree were the Naturopathic College of California and the Lindlahr College of Nature Cure and Osteopathy, which also granted a DDT (Doctor of Drugless Therapy) degree.^[3]

Many chiropractic schools began offering ND programs in addition to the chiropractic degree. There were as many as a dozen or two institutions granting the ND in the 1920s and 1930s, and during their heyday, naturopaths were licensed to practice under naturopathic or drugless practitioner laws in 25 states.

Decline after 1945

After Lust’s death in 1945, the profession splintered philosophically and regionally, and the American Naturopathic Association itself fractionated into 6 different professional organizations (one of which kept the ANA name). During the 1940s and 1950s, chiropractic schools started dropping their ND programs. From 1940 to 1963, the American Medical Association lobbied effectively against heterodox medical systems, including naturopathy, and Tennessee and Texas legislated against the practice of naturopathy.^[4]

A 1927 AMA study listed 12 naturopathic schools with fewer than 200 students among them. During the 1920s and 1930s, about half the states passed laws under which naturopaths and/or "drugless healers" could practice. However, as modern medicine developed, many of these laws were repealed and all but a few correspondence schools ceased operations. The doctor of naturopathy (N.D.) degree was still available at several chiropractic colleges, but in 1955, Western States Chiropractic College, the last remaining institution granting the ND degree, ended its naturopathic program. The National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) was founded in 1956 in Portland, Oregon, but, until the mid-1970s, had very few students. From 1960 through 1968, the average enrollment was eight and the total number of graduates was 16.

Modern renewal

In response to Western States ending their ND program, Portland N.D. Frank Spaulding toured the United States in 1955 and raised pledges totaling $100,000 (in monthly installments) from naturopaths to start a naturopathic college,^[5] which was chartered in 1956 as the National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM). The National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) operated in Seattle, WA until the mid-1970s where they had very few students.

Today, in North America, the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (N.D. or N.M.D.) degree is available from seven accredited full-time schools of naturopathic medicine.^[1] The accrediting agency for naturopathic medical schools, the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education was first recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education in 1987. The CNME lost this recognition in 2001 for failing to enforce its standards on the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, then in the preaccreditation stage; CNME applied for and regained recognition in 2003.^[6][7]

The naturopathic medical curriculum at the full-time CNME accredited schools follows a pattern similar to that of medical and osteopathic schools: two years of basic science courses and two or more years of clinical work.^[8] Prerequisite college of three years is required for admission. Approximately 950 students were enrolled in the six accredited schools in 2007.

Professional titles used by Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine in North America

Although all graduates from accredited naturopathic medical schools may use the academic title "Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine" there is no standardized professional title in use in North America. Jurisdictions that regulate the practice of naturopathic medicine legally require the use of various professional titles. Naturopathic medicine and approved titles are regulated in the following US states:^{[9][10][11][12][13][14][15]}

• Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine: Arizona, New Hampshire, Oregon (also Naturopathic Physician), Utah (also Naturopathic Physician), Washington (also Naturopathic Physician),^[16] Minnesota (also Naturopathic Doctor)^[17]
• Naturopathic Doctor:Alaska, California, Kansas, Maine
• Naturopathic Physician: Connecticut,^[18] District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana,^[19] Vermont.
• Naturopath: North Dakota^[20]

Provisions in the licensing laws for Minnesota^[21] and California^{[22][verification needed]} specifically protect the rights of Traditional Naturopaths to practice Naturopathy. Language in the Idaho Licensing acts exclude those practices normally engaged in by Traditional Naturopaths.^[23] In Puerto Rico the title "Doctor in Naturopathy (Doctor en Naturopatia) applies.^[24][25]

These titles apply in Canadian provinces:

• Doctor of Naturopathy: Manitoba
• Naturopathic Physician: Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, British Columbia
• Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine: Ontario, British Columbia

The Naturopathic diploma in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom the Naturopathic Diploma is granted to a healthcare professional (Medical Doctor, Osteopath, Chiropractor, Nurse) who has completed a two year post-graduate Naturopathic Diploma, or to a graduate of the colleges that grant the Naturopathic Diploma, as recognised by The General Council & Register of Naturopaths (GCRN).^[26][27] Currently, these are the British College of Osteopathic Medicine, The College of Osteopaths Educational Trust and the University of Westminster School of Integrated Health under the auspices of the BSc Health Science (Naturopathy) course.^[28] Additionally, there are occasional opportunities for naturopathic degree-level students to sit a post graduate examination set by the GCRN if they have attended a non-accredited college but have evidence of additional studying and clinical practice. Naturopaths are registered by the General Council and Register of Naturopaths.^[29] and once registered are entitled to call themselves Naturopaths, Naturopathic Physicians, Naturopathic Practitioners or Naturopathic Doctors. However, naturopaths in the UK do not perform minor surgery or have prescribing rights.

Registered naturopathic practitioners are also entitled to become members of the British Naturopathic Association (BNA).

See also

• List of naturopathic medical schools in North America
• Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges

References

1. ^ ^{a b} AANP-American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
2. ^ SCNM-Home Page incl. Philosophy
3. ^ Kirchfeld, Friedhelm, and Wade Boyle. “Nature Doctors: Pioneers in Naturopathic Medicine”. Medicina Biologica, 1994. ISBN 0962351857
4. ^ Baer, Hans A. “Toward an Integrative Medicine”. AltaMira Press, 2004, pp 35-38. ISBN 075910302X
5. ^ "NCNM News". 2005. http://www.ncnm.edu/news-amp-events/NCNM_News-Summer_2005-web.pdf?wb_session_id=5643a37845c5374846e3e509f968bd0f. 
6. ^ "Naturopathic medicine". American Cancer Society. 2007-03-26. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Naturopathic_Medicine.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
7. ^ Barrett, Stephen (2003-06-13). "Naturopathic Accreditation Agency Loses Federal Recognition - But Reapproval Seems Likely". Quackwatch. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Naturopathy/accreditation.html. Retrieved 2009-04-17. 
8. ^ "Council on Naturopathic Medical Education Accreditation Handbook". 2007. http://www.cnme.org/resources/2007_hoa.pdf. 
9. ^ "2008 Sunrise Review: Naturopathic Physicians". 2008. http://www.dora.state.co.us/opr/archive/2008NaturopathicPhysiciansSunrise.pdf. 
10. ^ "Minnesota licensure". 2008. https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1724.5.html&session=ls85. 
11. ^ "Naturopathy Act (Ontario)". http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=519. 
12. ^ "Naturopathic Physicians Regulation (British Columbia)". http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/h/healthprof/449_99.htm#section3. 
13. ^ "The Naturopathic Act (Manitoba)". http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/n080e.php. 
14. ^ "The Naturopathy Act (Saskatchewan)". http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/English/Statutes/Statutes/N4.pdf. 
15. ^ "Naturopathic Doctors Act (Nova Scotia)". http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/legc/bills/60th_2nd/3rd_read/b177.htm. 
16. ^ http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/sunrise/1999/NaturopathicScope_FINAL.doc Washington State Sunrise Report
17. ^ http://oanp.org/train.php OANP - Physician Training
18. ^ http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=529271 BMC Complement Altern Med. 2004; 4: 14.
19. ^ http://www.oregon.gov/OBNE/rules/ORS685_2007-09.pdf Oregon Statute 2007
20. ^ http://www.ndmed.org/?id=100
21. ^ 147E - REGISTERED NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR, 2009 Minnesota Statutes
22. ^ WAIS Document Retrieval
23. ^ Statutes
24. ^ "Year:1997-law #208". http://www.oslpr.org/english/master.asp?NAV=LEYES. 
25. ^ "Ley 208". http://www.oslpr.org/download/ES/1997/208s0783.pdf. 
26. ^ http://www.bcom.ac.uk/introduction/general-council-register-of-naturopaths British College of Osteopathic Medicine - Contact info for GCRN
27. ^ http://www.wmin.ac.uk/sih/page-658 University of Westminster - School of integrated Health
28. ^ http://www.collegeofosteopaths.ac.uk/naturapathy_diploma/naturopathy_diploma.html College of Osteopaths 2007
29. ^ General Council and Register of Naturopaths "Requirements for Registration". 2008. http://www.naturopathy.org.uk/require.asp. 

External links

• Directory of Naturopathic doctors and clinics in Canada