Naturopathic Medicine
The Naturopathic Medicine Interest Group was established in 2005 to educate AMSA members about the profession and practice of Naturopathic Medicine through an active listserv, interaction between conventional and naturopathic medical schools and dynamic programming at the National and Regional conventions. The Group is also dedicated to cultivating a relationship with the members of the Naturopathic Medical Student Association as well as to helping naturopathic medical students get involved with AMSA.
What is Naturopathic Medicine? Naturopathic medicine has as its basis the premise that the body has an innate intelligent force capable of healing itself and our duty as physicians is to support that process by stimulating that force, providing the body with essential nutrients and removing any toxic factors. This is done in the spirit of the therapeutic order, going from the gentlest least harmful modalities and culminating in pharmaceuticals and surgery if necessary.
Naturopathic Physicians (NDs) attend 4 year full-time residential medical schools and are primary care providers trained in conventional medical sciences, diagnosis and treatment, as well as nutrition, botanical medicine, environmental medicine, Chinese Medicine, physical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, counseling and minor surgery, state law permitting. Some NDs choose to receive further training in natural obstetrics, environmental medicine, and Chinese Medicine. All licensed NDs must complete four years of graduate medical education at a school accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) and pass a two-step board examination (similar to USMLE Steps 1 and 2). Currently, 16 states, the District of Columbia and the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors.
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GLOBAL HEALTH INITIATIVES
PUBLICATIONS
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE RESEARCH
Get Involved
- Naturopathic Advocacy
Be an Advocate. - Connect With Fellow Students to Learn More
We encourage MD, DO and ND medical students (especially those in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Oregon and Washington) to take advantage of this Interest Group and to start building bridges with your medical colleagues. If you would like to connect with an NMSA chapter in your area, contact us.
- Spend Time With A Naturopathic Doctor to Learn More
If you are a MD/DO student who is interested in Naturopathic Medicine and would like to spend time with a ND, please contact us. Additionionally, contact us if you would like to sit in on Grand Rounds or lectures or have an ND come and lecture at your school, or join in on joint case solving over a ‘naturopathic’ lunch or dinner.
- Attend the CAM Summer Program to Learn More
Bastyr University, located just outside of Seattle, Washington, offers a one month summer program in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to graduate and professional students in the Health Sciences.
Resources
ORGANIZATIONS
CNME ACCREDITED NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOLS
NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL CANDIDATE FOR ACCREDITATION
USEFUL WEBSITES
- Certification Course on Environmental Medicine
For licensed health care providers who wish to improve their ability to provide healthcare to environmentally toxic individuals. - Blood Chemistry Analysis
A wealth of information about using functional diagnosis and blood chemistry analysis. You'll never look at CBC the same way again! Run by Dr. Dicken Weatherby.
- Bravewell Clinical Network
8 leading clinical centers that deliver integrative care
- The Bravewell Collaborative
Founded in 2002 by a small group of leading philanthropists dedicated to transforming healthcare by returning the soul to medicine.
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Integrative Cancer Care (including naturopathic medicine) and Research in 5 states
- Eclectic Medical Publications
Small, independent press that offers several excellent books on botanical safety and on interactions between drugs and natural medicines.
- Healing Mountain Publishing
Provides physician-level information for both student and practitioner of natural medicine. Offers comprehensive study aids for students preparing for the NPLEX examinations.
- Herbal Educational Services
Upcoming herbal conferences with recordings and proceedings books from older conferences available for purchase
- Homeopathic Symposium
Created by Dr. Malcolm Smith, this ground breaking website features interactive video cases that present remarkable cures by homeopathy plus online seminars by world renowned homeopaths like Rajan Sankaran.
- iCaduceus
Web-based diagnostic and treatment support system for integrative and holistic physicians. Uses standard (Western) medical definitions of conditions, but provides only non-pharmacological treatments. Student subscriptions available.
- Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium
Broad, active coalition advocating public policy to ensure all Americans access to safe, high quality, integrated health care
- Integrator Blog
News, reports, opinion and networking for the business, education, policy and practice of Integrated Medicine, CAM and Integrated Health Care
- The Institute for Functional Medicine
A nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to improve patient outcomes through prevention, early assessment and comprehensive management of complex, chronic disease.
- Mercola Optimal Wellness Center
Almost everything you want to know about CAM/Integrative Medicine. Offers an excellent weekly email update.
- Michael Moore's Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
One of the largest collections of medicinal plant images, plus PDFs of dozens of classical botanical texts- all for free!
- One Lucky Duck
Everything you need to go raw!
- SaluGenecists, Inc.
Created by a group of NDs and MDs, this company is utilizing artificial intelligence to bring integrative medicine to the masses. This is interesting info from both a personal and professional perspective.
- Teleosis Institute
An excellent resource and link to a community of practitioners dedicated to Green Healthcare. The Institute also offers an online course in Environmentally-Sustainable Medicine.
- Weston A. Price Foundation
A wealth of information on traditional diets (including info on cultured foods, raw milk and the dangers of soy), basic nutrition and the pros and cons of various diets (including vegetarian, macrobiotic and traditional). Dr. Price was a dentist who studied the effects of nutrient-dense whole foods and animal fats on health.
- Whole Health Now
Information on Radar Software, a calendar of homeopathy seminars around the world and MP3s of over fifty teleconferences with many of the best homeopaths alive.
- WHO Traditional Medicine Site
Provides links to websites and centers collaborating with the World Health Organization to study Traditional Medicine. A fact sheet that describes the use of Traditional Medicine around the world, as well as WHO's priorities for promoting the use of this medicine, is available.
- Wild Fermentation
Information on cultured and fermented foods including Miso, Kefir, Kombucha and Yogurt.