Naturopathic Medicine

Career Overview:

Naturopathic doctors are licensed physicians who strive to integrate the benefits of conventional medicine with complimentary botanical, nutritional and homeopathic therapies. They assess not only their patients’ physical health, but their emotional, mental and spiritual health as well. This approach is informed by the philosophy of treating the whole person, rather than just the symptoms.
Naturopathic doctors combine conventional and alternative treatments to complement each other, giving them a toolkit that is considerably more diverse than that of traditional, allopathic physicians. They experience the satisfaction of helping patients overcome their immediate health issues while also addressing the behaviors and belief systems that underlie the symptoms at hand. In this way, naturopathic doctors help their patients recover today and prepare for a healthier tomorrow.

Naturopathic Program Requirements:

All of the AANMC-member schools ND programs require a base of undergraduate science courses that include biology as well as general and organic chemistry. Physics, biochemistry, math and psychology courses may also be specified.
A conferred Bachelor's degree with an overall GPA of 3.0.
MCAT scores are accepted and may be reviewed by school admissions.
Applicants must submit a resume, personal statements, and supplemental essay.

Naturopathic Medicine Programs:

Licensed naturopathic doctors attend a four-year, graduate-level naturopathic medical school and are educated in all of the same basic sciences as an MD, but also study holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness. In addition to a standard medical curriculum, naturopathic medical schools teach clinical nutrition, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology, and counseling. In order to become a naturopathic doctor, you must take professional board exams to be licensed by a state or jurisdiction as a primary care general practice physician.