Common Questions
- About Naturopathic Medicine
- Naturopathic Treatments
- Advantages Of Naturopathic Care
- Naturopathic Visits
- Education And Regulation
- Other Topics
- What is the difference between Naturopath and a Naturopathic Doctor?
- What are natural remedies for cough? For anxiety? For sleep? For headaches?
- What is integrated medicine? Does An ND practice integrated medicine?
What is the difference between a Naturopathic Doctor and a naturopath?
These titles are not interchangeable: the Naturopathic Doctor is a regulated primary care practitioner.
When seeking naturopathic treatments, it is imperative to know the difference between a regulated ND (Naturopathic Doctor) and a naturopath. The education, training regimes and scopes of practice are vastly different.
A licensed ND is a primary care practitioner who is trained to diagnose, prevent and treat acute and chronic illness and in some provinces, prescribe medication.
Many years of commitment are required to become a Naturopathic Doctor. In Canada, and the United States, a Bachelor’s degree is required before attending a four-year professional, full time doctoral program accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). The CNME is the only accrediting body for naturopathic medical programs in Canada and the U.S. that qualify graduates for regulation/licensure. Naturopathic medical students complete more than 4,100 contact hours of instruction, including at least 1,200 hours of supervised, hands-on clinical training. Upon completion of the program, naturopathic medical graduates must pass Entry to Practice board exams and required jurisdictional exams. Only then, are they a fully qualified Naturopathic Doctor or Doctor of Naturopathy with the ND designation after their name.
Naturopaths on the other hand have access to any number of programs. Many are delivered online or via correspondence. Program length can vary from a few months to a few years to complete. There is no standardized or accredited curriculum nor supervised clinical experience. Individuals taking any of these programs are not eligible to write the Entry to Practice exams noted above and do not qualify for regulation/licensure.
Note: In the Province of Ontario, the titles of “naturopathic doctor (ND)” and “naturopath” are interchangeable and restricted to graduates of an accredited naturopathic medical program, who have passed the required board exams and are registrants of the College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CoNO).
Naturopathic Doctors have a wide spectrum of employment opportunities aside from private or group practice. They work in government, hospitals, medical schools and integrated health clinics alongside conventional medical doctors and an array of integrated health care professionals.
A regulated/licensed ND is a primary care practitioner who is trained to diagnose and treat all health care concerns. Always check the practitioners’ credentials to ensure they are a regulated/licensed ND.
Patients are looking for new ways to maintain or improve their health. They are not merely patients, but savvy consumers; who are informed, educated and seek best practices in all aspects of life. A Naturopathic Doctor, who works in an inter-disciplinary health environment deliver these results – naturally.
Click here to find a naturopathic doctor.