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 listserve, interaction between allopathic
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 and to helping naturopathic medical students get involved with AMSA.
Get Involved
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic Medicine is a distinct branch of medical science and art
that recognizes the integrity of the whole person and emphasizes the
body's ability to heal itself. The practice of Naturopathic Medicine
emerges from six underlying principles of healing. These principles are
ancient and are based on the objective observation of the nature of
health and disease and are today also being examined in light of
scientific analysis. The principles are:
- The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae)
- Identify and Treat the Cause (Tolle Causam)
- First, Do No Harm (Primum No Nocere)
- Treat the Whole Person
- The Physician As Teacher (Docere)
- Prevention is the Best Cure
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, physical medicine, homeopathy,
hydrotherapy, counseling and minor surgery. Some NDs choose to receive
further training in natural obstetrics 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.
Resources
ORGANIZATIONS
CNME ACCREDITED NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOLS
NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL CANDIDATE FOR ACCREDITATION
PUBLICATIONS
USEFUL WEBSITES
- 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 4 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.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE RESEARCH