A licensed naturopathic
physician (N.D.) attends a four-year graduate-level naturopathic medical school and is
educated in all of the same basic sciences as an M.D., and also studies
holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease
prevention and optimizing wellness. In addition to a standard medical
curriculum, the naturopathic physician is required to complete four years of
training in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical
medicine, psychology, and counseling (to encourage people to make lifestyle
changes in support of their personal health). A naturopathic physician takes
rigorous professional board exams so that he or she may be licensed by a state
or jurisdiction as a primary care general practice physician. Please see
the AANMC’s
Professional Competency Profile for more information. Additional information on naturopathic schools can be found on the American Association of Naturopathic Medical Colleges web site. |