The Naturopathic Doctor

Naturopathic doctors (N.D.s) are practitioners trained in natural medicine. They are educated in the conventional medical sciences, but they are not medical doctors (M.D.s). Naturopathic doctors treat disease and restore health using therapies from the sciences of clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, exercise therapy, counseling, and hydrotherapy. Naturopathic Doctors tailor these approaches to the needs of an individual patient. Naturopathic medicine is effective in treating most health problems, whether acute or chronic.

In practice, naturopathic doctors perform physical examinations, laboratory testing, gynecological exams, nutritional and dietary assessments, metabolic analysis, allergy testing, X-ray examinations, and other diagnostic tests. Naturopathic Doctors combine and tailor treatments to the needs of the individual based on a cogent philosophy that acknowledges the patient as a participant.

The naturopathic doctor has a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (N.D.) degree from a four-year graduate level naturopathic medical college. Naturopathic doctors must pass a national or state-level board examination and their actions are subject to review by a State Regalatory Agency.