Naturopaths

High School

If you want to pursue a career in naturopathy, you'll be entering a premed program in college, so you'll want to take high school science courses, such as biology and chemistry. The physical education courses of some high schools offer instruction in health, nutrition, and exercise that would help prepare you for important aspects of work as a naturopath.

English, psychology, sociology, and foreign language courses will help you sharpen your communication and people skills. As a naturopath, you will need to be an excellent listener and communicator. Much of a naturopathic physician's work involves listening to and counseling clients. Business, math, computer, and marketing classes will prepare you to run a business.

Postsecondary Training

To become a naturopathic physician, you must first complete a premed undergraduate program before pursuing the graduate degree doctor of naturopathic medicine (N.D. or sometimes N.M.D.). Your undergraduate courses should be those of a typical premed curriculum, including biology, inorganic chemistry, and organic chemistry. Courses in nutrition and psychology are also important. You should contact the accredited naturopathic colleges as early as possible in order to ensure that you complete the courses required by the school of your choice.

When you're searching for a naturopathic medical school, find one that's accredited and offers the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree. Schools without accreditation offer correspondence courses and may offer certificates. Only a degree from an accredited school, however, will prepare you to become a licensed naturopath. There are only five naturopathic schools in the United States and Canada accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. They are:

• Bastyr University (San Diego, California, and Seattle, Washington): https://bastyr.edu
• Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada): https://www.ccnm.edu
• National University of Health Sciences (Chicago, Illinois): https://www.nuhs.edu
• National University of Natural Medicine (Portland, Oregon): https://nunm.edu
• Sonoran University of Health Sciences (Phoenix, Arizona): https://www.sonoran.edu

The naturopathic doctoral degree is a four-year program requiring courses in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and other basic medical sciences. Students must also take courses in nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, naturopathic obstetrics, psychological medicine, and minor surgery. In addition to course instruction, students receive extensive clinical training.

If you are not interested in completing the N.D. or N.M.D. degree, other postsecondary training is available. The American Naturopathic Medical Accreditation Board Web site (https://www.anmab.org) can provide you with information on correspondence and resident programs. These programs, however, do not typically have the broad medical background of N.D. programs, and those educated in this way do not meet requirements in states with licensing regulations.

Certification

The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine offers an Integrative and Whole Health Foundations Certificate Program. Visit https://aihm.org/fiwh-certificate for more information on this 300-hour, online program.

Other Education or Training

Continuing education seminars, webinars, and other learning opportunities are provided by professional associations, naturopathic colleges and universities, and for-profit online learning platforms. Contact these organizations for more information.