Naturopathic Medicine 101 / Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
What is a Naturopathic Doctor?
What can Naturopathic Doctors treat?
What can I expect from my first visit to a Naturopathic Doctor?
What if I already have a family physician, will you work with them?
What if I think my health is great and I don't see the need to visit a Naturopathic Doctor?
What if I am on prescription medication? Can I still see a Naturopathic Doctor?
What is the difference between Naturopathic Medicine and Homeopathy?
How do I pay for a visit to a Naturopathic Doctor?
Are Naturopathic Doctors regulated in Ontario?
How can I tell if someone is qualified as a Naturopathic Doctor?
What is the training process to become a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario?
What kind of research is there in the area of Naturopathic Medicine?
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic Medicine is a distinct system of primary care that addresses the root cause of illness or disease and promotes health and healing using natural therapies. Treatment modalities may include Medical Nutrition, Botanical Medicine, Physical Medicine, Acupuncture and Traditional Asian Medicine, Lifestyle Counseling, and Homeopathic Medicine.
The primary goal of Naturopathic treatment is to address the cause of the illness rather than simply treating or suppressing symptoms. While Naturopathic care helps to alleviate specific symptoms, Naturopathic Doctors are primarily concerned with addressing the origins of the disease and why it is happening.
What is a Naturopathic Doctor?
Naturopathic Doctors are primary care providers who integrate standard medical diagnostics with a broad range of natural therapies.
What can Naturopathic Doctors treat?
Naturopathic Doctors are a primary health care practitioner, they can treat the same conditions as a family doctor. This includes both acute concerns and chronic health conditions. In the event that a Naturopathic Doctor is unable to treat your condition, they will refer appropriately.
What can I expect from my first visit to a Naturopathic Doctor?
Your first visit with a Naturopathic Doctor may take approximately one hour or longer. A very extensive patient history eliciting information about your physical, mental, and emotional health is taken and a physical exam performed. Your Naturopathic Doctor may then suggest laboratory or other specialized testing.
With your input, your Naturopathic Doctor will propose a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your health goals.
What if I already have a family physician, will you work with them?
Yes. Your health care is our primary concern. At Wellpath Clinic, we strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment of care. Working to create the best network for you is important for us.
What if I think my health is great and I don't see the need to visit a Naturopathic Doctor?
That's wonderful if your health is strong. Naturopathic Medicine does not only treat current, acute conditions but strives to be preventive and sustainable in its actions. At Wellpath Clinic, we provide you with valuable information to ensure that you stay well and reduce your future risk of chronic disease.
What if I am on prescription medication? Can I still see a Naturopathic Doctor?
Naturopathic Doctors study pharmacology and write North American Board examinations in this modality. Yes, you can see a Naturopathic Doctor. It is important to write down or bring your medications to your visits so we can ensure that there are no interactions between your natural and drug prescriptions. Your safety is paramount.
What is the difference between Naturopathic Medicine and Homeopathy?
Naturopathic Doctors are general practitioners of natural medicine. They are trained to treat ailments using Medical Nutrition, Acupuncture, Botanical Medicine, Physical Medicine, Lifestyle Counselling and Homeopathy.
So while a Homeopath would prescribe a Homeopathic therapy, a Naturopathic Doctor would use any of the approaches listed above, including homeopathy, in their treatments. In addition, Homeopathy is not a regulated or licensed health profession in Ontario. Naturopathic Medicine, by contrast, is licensed in the Province of Ontario.
How do I pay for a visit to a Naturopathic Doctor?
Visits to a Naturopathic Doctor are currently NOT covered by OHIP. Most extended health care plans do cover the cost of seeing a Naturopathic Doctor. It’s important to check with your extended health care provider to determine the amount of your Naturopathic Medicine coverage.
Are Naturopathic Doctors regulated in Ontario?
Naturopathic Doctors are the only regulated health professionals in the field of Natural Medicine in Ontario. Naturopathic Doctors are regulated in Ontario under the Drugless Therapy Act and are licensed by the Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy-Naturopathy (BDDTN). The BDDTN ensures that Naturopathic Doctors are properly qualified to practice Naturopathic Medicine and that they follow the appropriate standards of practice.
What is the training process to become a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario?
Naturopathic Doctors obtain comprehensive and rigorous training in an educational structure similar to that of a traditional medical program.
Prerequisites courses: including University pre-medical sciences. Prerequisite courses: Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Psychology and Humanities.
Successfully complete a 4-year-full time program in an accredited school of Naturopathic Medicine that includes more than 4,500 hours of classroom training and 1,500 hours of supervised clinical experience. Pass NPLEX board exams that are written after the 2nd year and 4th year of study. Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations is the standard examination used by all regulated provinces in Canada and all regulated states in the United States.
Areas of Training
Naturopathic Doctors under go training similar to medical doctors plus they include the Naturopathic disciplines. The four areas of training in the four year, full-time Naturopathic Medicine curriculum are:
Graduates from an accredited Naturopathic college receive the designation Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND).
Basic Sciences - This area of study includes Anatomy, Physiology, Histology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharmacology and Pathology.
Clinical Disciplines - Diagnostic Medicine areas of study are Physical and Clinical Diagnosis, Differential and Laboratory Diagnosis, Radiology, Naturopathic Assessment and Orthopedics.
Naturopathic Disciplines - There are six major disciplines that define the areas of Naturopathic practice. Each discipline is a distinct area of practice and includes both diagnostic principles and practices as well as therapeutic skills and techniques. They include: Medical Nutrition, Botanical Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Homeopathic Medicine, Lifestyle Counseling, Physical Medicine including Naturopathic Manipulation.
Clinical Experience - All students must complete 1,500 hours of clinical requirements and demonstrate proficiency in all aspects of Naturopathic Medicine prior to graduation.
Graduates from an accredited Naturopathic schools receive the designation Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND).
Pass NPLEX board exams that are written after the 2nd year and 4th year of study. Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations is the standard examination used by all regulated provinces in Canada and all regulated states in the United States.
Meet the Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits as required by the provincial regulatory boards on an ongoing basis.
Accredited Naturopathic Colleges - The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education's mission is to ensure the high quality of naturopathic medical education in the United States and Canada through the voluntary accreditation of four-year, graduate-level programs in Naturopathic Medicine. Students and graduates of programs accredited or pre-accredited (candidacy) by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) are eligible to apply for the naturopathic licensing examinations administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE).
How can I tell if someone is qualified as a Naturopathic Doctor?
In Ontario, the public can call the Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy-Naturopathy (BDDTN) at 416-866-8383 to verify that a Naturopathic Doctor is registered to practice in the province. The BDDTN is the regulatory body that registers Naturopathic doctors to practice in Ontario.
What kind of research is there in the area of Naturopathic Medicine?
The burgeoning interest in Naturopathic Medicine has initiated an important trend of increasing collaboration between Naturopathic Medicine and conventional medical schools and research institutions. This cooperative relationship is still in its infancy but steady progress is being made. Naturopathic Doctors have been invited to sit on various committees organized under Health Canada. Naturopathic Doctors also works as individual researchers in institutions and in their private practice.
The Naturopathic Medicine profession in Canada recognizes the value of research and seeks to make appropriate use of science to further the understanding and advancement of Naturopathic Medicine. As professional health care providers, it is part of our responsibility to our patients that we are critical thinkers regarding the known limitations of conventional medical research. The challenge is to find research methodologies that understand and are equipped to evaluate multifactorial and individualized Naturopathic treatments.
