FAQ's
What is a naturopathic physician?
Naturopathic physicians are primary care physicians of natural medicine. Their 4 year, clincally based, naturopathic medical school training puts them on par with thier MD colleagues, but with a specialty in natural medicine. NDs learn to treat all aspects of family health and wellness, from pediatrics to geriatrics. They tailor their therapies to meet the individual needs of each patient, factoring in physical, social, emotional and spiritual aspects before prescribing a course of treatment. Because they view natural remedies as complementary as well as primary, naturopathic physicians cooperate with other medical professionals, referring patients to medical doctors, surgeons and other specialists whenever appropriate.
What is the scope of practice of ND’s?
The scope of practice for naturopathic physicians varies depending on the state in which they are practicing. They are trained as primary care providers and, as such, their scope of practice may include nutritional science, natural hygiene, botanical medicine, naturopathic physical medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, ayurvedic medicine, counseling, spirituality and health, minor surgery, methods of laboratory and clinical diagnosis, pharmacology, IV therapy, and natural childbirth and delivery. As primary care providers, ND’s may perform the same exams that your family doctor does including gynecology and uro-genital exams, prenatal exams, well baby exams, order lab tests and radiological studies, or prescribe pharmaceutical medicines when appropriate.
What is the training of naturopathic physicians?
Licensed naturopathic physicians have attended four-year professional-level programs at accredited institutions, where they have been educated in the same basic sciences as allopathic physicians. Some naturopathic schools may even require more hours of basic and clinical science than many top allopathic medical schools. The first two years of study focuses on basic and clinical sciences: biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, immunology, pathology, neuroscience and pharmacology. The last two years of their medical education focuses on putting their clinical skills to practice in a variety of clinical health care settings under the supervision of licensed professionals. Naturopathic physicians use the Western medical sciences as a foundation on which to build a thorough knowledge of holistic, non-toxic therapies and develop skills in diagnosis, disease prevention and wellness optimization. All descriptions above have been used with permission from the American Association of Naturopathic Medical Colleges.
What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?
Complementary and Alternative medicine is a growing field that includes a wide-range of specialists with a variety of educational training. The National Institute of Health (NIH) defines CAM as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine”. They go on to define complementary medicine as medicine used together with conventional medicine whereas alternative medicine is defined as medicine used in place of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals. Other terms for conventional medicine include: allopathy, Western, mainstream, orthodox, regular medicine, and biomedicine. Some conventional medical practitioners are also practitioners of CAM. For more information on CAM medicine please visit the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Aren’t there MD’s who specialize in CAM medicine?
Although more and more MD’s are receiving some level of CAM education most CAM classes are elective only and programs are taught with the conventional medical philosophy. Outside of the small percentage of MD’s who have specialized in some form of CAM medicine, the most highly trained CAM providers are naturopathic physicians, also known as naturopathic doctors (ND’s). The demanding 4-year naturopathic residential education gives ND’s the most extensive training in complementary and alternative medicine that currently exists. While both MD’s and ND’s are primary care providers, it is the unique philosophy of naturopathic medicine that sets naturopathic physicians apart from medical doctors. Since ND’s are trained in the same western methods of clinical diagnosis as MD’s and are able to provide primary care to their patients, many ND’s are the doctors of choice for people in the USA and Canada.
Why create an organization specifically for licensed naturopathic physicians and providers of CAM medicine?
Until now, there has not been any international organization dedicated to developing volunteer opportunities for licensed naturopathic physicians or other alternative medicine health care providers. While many MD’s may have training or an interest in CAM medicine, the international organizations that offer volunteer opportunities for MD’s and nurses are endless. While NDI collaborates with western trained medical doctors and nurses, one of our main goals is to create the same volunteer opportunities for alternative medicine professions - naturopathic physicians (ND’s), chiropractors, Chinese medicine doctors and acupuncturists, midwives, and herbalists. That said, MD’s, nurses and other allied healthcare providers who have received training in CAM medicine, practice some form of integrative medicine, or who are interested in working with CAM providers in developing countries are encouraged to collaborate with NDI.
Where do traditional medicine providers fit in your organization?
Medicine men and women exist in most traditional societies and use local plants, massage, energy work, and other modalities to help the sick. Each culture has names for its folk healers; in Latin America has curanderos or brujos, Haiti has voodon healers, Peru has shamans, and Native Americans in the USA and Canada have medicine men. These traditional medicine healers receive their knowledge from apprenticing with elders in the community that hold these traditions. The cultural healers are an integral part of the informal and in some cases the formal healthcare system of developing countries. At NDI, we give the utmost respect to all traditional healers and value the incredible wealth of knowledge many traditional healers have. In Nicaragua, there exists a range of health providers, such as promotores de salud (health promoters) and herbalists that NDI collaborates with on several community projects. |
