Naturopathic medicine is a distinct healthcare profession that combines natural, non-toxic therapies with current advances in health and medicine. Naturopathic physicians are primary care physicians clinically trained in a wide variety of natural therapeutics, adapted to each patient, with a focus on preventive and whole patient care. Therapies used by naturopathic physicians include:

Clinical Nutrition
Homeopathy
Botanical Medicine
Physical Medicine
Natural Childbirth
Oriental Medicine
Counseling and Stress Management
Minor Surgery
Public Health Measures and Hygiene

Depending on his/her interests and skills, a naturopathic physician may focus on just a few of these areas. Naturopathic physicians cooperate with all other branches of medical science, referring patients to other practitioners for treatment or diagnosis when appropriate.

Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
The naturopathic physician's approach to health and wellness is guided by the following philosophy and principles of practice:

The Healing Power of Nature: Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing process in each person that is ordered and intelligent. Naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, and to facilitate and augment this inherent self-healing process.

Identifying and Treating the Causes: The naturopathic physician seeks to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness, rather that to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.

First, Do No Harm: To avoid harming the patient, naturopathic physicians follow three precepts:

Utilize methods and medical substances that minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat.


Avoid, when possible, the harmful suppression of symptoms.


Acknowledge, respect, and work with the individual's self-healing process.

Doctor as Teacher: Naturopathic physicians educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.

Treating the Whole Person: Naturopathic physicians treat each patient by taking into account individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and other factors. Since total health includes spiritual health, naturopathic physicians may encourage individuals to pursue their personal spiritual development.

Prevention: Emphasizing the prevention of disease, naturopathic physicians assess a patient's risk factors, heredity, and susceptibility to disease, and make appropriate interventions in partnership with their patients to help prevent illness.

Education, Clinical Training and Licensing
Naturopathic doctors receive their training at four-year, graduate level naturopathic medical schools with admissions requirements comparable to those of other medical schools. The Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree (N.D.) is awarded after the completion of classroom, clinic and practical study.

The basic sciences component of naturopathic medical education includes: anatomy, biochemistry, cardiology, clinical & physical diagnosis, dermatology, gynecology, immunology, lab diagnostics, microbiology, minor surgery, neurology, obstetrics, pathology, pediatrics, pharmacology, physiology, and radiology. Throughout the four years, there is also training in naturopathic therapeutics, including botanical medicine, therapeutic nutrition, counseling, homeopathy, natural childbirth, hydrotherapy, physical medicine and other therapies.

Naturopathic physicians can perform physical examinations, gynecological exams, nutritional and dietary assessments, and order laboratory testing, metabolic analysis, allergy testing, X-ray examinations, and other diagnostic tests. Naturopathic physicians are trained to combine and adapt western science-based concepts to treatments that use individual based, non-toxic, natural therapies. As a result, they are able to distinguish when a referral to another branch of medical science for diagnosis and/or treatment is appropriate. In addition to their training in western medical approaches, naturopathic physicians achieve an expertise in botanical medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, and other naturopathic therapeutics.

The practice of medicine in the United States is regulated by each state. Currently, 11 states (and Puerto Rico) have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors: Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington. Each state defines the scope of practice for licensed naturopathic physicians. The following requirements must be met to attain a license in the states that offer them:

• Graduation from an accredited four year, residential naturopathic medical school
• Passage of extensive postdoctoral board examinations (e.g., NPLEX)
• Fulfillment of state mandated continuing education requirements
  

In many unlicensed states, supporters of naturopathic medicine have introduced bills and are actively working toward achieving licensure.