Naturopathic Education

Naturopathic physicians receive their education and training at a four-year, graduate-level, naturopathic medical school. At present, there are five accredited naturopathic colleges in the US, and two in Canada. Our doctors are both graduates of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ. The first two years of education is very similar to the curriculum of a conventional medical school. Students are educated in all the basic sciences, pathology, conventional diagnosis, minor surgery, and pharmacology. The last two years are focused more on the integration of clinical practice and the naturopathic therapeutic modalities such as homeopathy, botanical medicine, nutrition, physical medicine, hydrotherapy, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (at some schools). The specific therapies that a naturopathic doctor can use in practice are regulated on a state by state basis. In order to graduate from naturopathic medical school and receive a license to practice medicine, students must pass two sets of national board exams, the basic science boards and the clinical boards.


Licensing

Licensing is another big issue that affects naturopathic medicine. At present only 16 states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands have licensing laws in place for naturopathic physicians. California is included among the licensed states. All other states are unlicensed, which means the practice of naturopathic medicine is unregulated and that anyone can claim to be a “naturopath” because there are no laws preventing it. For more information on naturopathic licensing information go to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians page.


Accredited Naturopathic Colleges in the US

Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine

Bastyr University

National College of Naturopathic Medicine

University of Bridgeport

National University of Health Sciences

Click here for more information on accredited naturopathic colleges.