About Naturopathic Medicine and Naturopathic Physicians

Naturopathic Physicians, leaders in natural medicine.

Naturopathic Physician training starts after a 4-year bachelor’s degree. Federally recognized 4-year naturopathic programs include 2 years of basic sciences which, when successfully completed, allow students to take nationally recognized NPLEx Part I basic science board exams. Clinic entrance exams allow entrance into a 2-year supervised clinic internship. The 4-year program also provides education in nutrition, water-cure, homeopathy, naturopathic physical manipulation, plant medicine, physical exams, clinical diagnosis, pharmaceutical drugs, and research. Graduates are then expected to take and pass the NPLEx Part II, a nationally recognized 2.5-day board exam, in order to apply for state licenses.

After graduation and passing NPLEx parts I and II, Naturopathic Physicians have demonstrated competency to be primary care physicians with the skills for differential diagnosis, physical examination, developing treatment plans, and knowing how to refer to other medical providers appropriately.

Naturopathic Physicians are guided by the following principles, as adopted by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

First Do No Harm

As with all physicians, naturopathic physicians believe that the patient and their health is the primary concern.

Prevention

Preventing illness and imbalance is of the upmost importance. Not only does preventing illness cost less than chronic disease, it is easier to achieve than correcting the damage from disease.

Healing Power of Nature

The body, given the right conditions, has the power to find wellness. A wellness model instead of an illness model provides the right conditions for the whole person to heal. Sometimes these conditions include removing toxic substances, providing adequate nutrients, or changing behavior.

Find and Treat the Cause of Disease

Many times, treatment in today’s society comes in the form of treating the symptoms of the disease. By treating the cause of the disease, the illness and its symptoms may be resolved; the need to treat symptoms then disappears.

Treat the whole person

An individual is complex; our bodies and minds are not separate. Organ and physiological systems also work together. By treating the whole person, the chances of finding total body balance increases.

Educate patients, empower patients

The concept of doctor as teacher finds its roots in the word ‘docere’, a Latin derivative for the word doctor. Docere can be translated as ‘to teach’. By sharing the knowledge of health with patients, we empower you to fi