Naturopathic Education

Over 2400 years ago, the Greek philosopher and physician Hippocrates taught the idea that nature has the power to heal itself. Man, having a natural side to him also has this power. This same idea is the core idea behind Naturopathy and what is taught in schools for Naturopathic education. Naturopathy believes that disease or illness can be cured by stimulating the healing powers of the body, and allowing the body to cure itself of the main cause of the illness.

Through natural and alternative medicine practices, Naturopathy is able to treat both everyday illnesses, chronic conditions, and give aid to serious disease. The use of herbal medicine, hydrotherapy or water therapy, ayurvedic medicine, and Chinese medicine are all a part of Naturopathy. These non-invasive, gentle, and natural methods are said to stimulate the body, and encourage the body to heal itself. Proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle is also prescribed by Naturopathy because prevention of diseases is seen as the best cure for the body.

People used to conventional or Western medicine are often very skeptical about Naturopathy or see it as new-aged mumbo-jumbo that doesn’t really heal. It is very common that alternative medicine and alternative medical practices is seen in this light. Often it is seen this way because people are very focused on taking a pill to heal them or having a machine heal them instead of having their bodies heal itself naturally, and without the introduction of synthetic or chemical pharmaceuticals.

For skeptics of Naturopathy, learning about Naturopathic education or what practitioners of Naturopathy study and learn may help them realize that this manner of healing is actually quite scientific. Naturopathy combines modern scientific methods and knowledge while using traditional or natural means of healing. Many times, Naturopathic practitioners are also medical doctors.

Naturopathic education involves taking up three years of the pre-medical sciences of Western medicine. This is the same as a traditional pre-medical course for Western doctors. Things like biology, biochemistry, chemistry, organic chemistry, psychology, humanities, comparative anatomy, and other relevant medical sciences are studied. This “pre-med” is followed by a four year full-time course at a Naturopathic Medical college or university, assuming the prescribed grade point average is met. This Naturopathic medical course covers over 4500 hours of study and class, and 1500 hours of guided clinical experience.

After seven years of studying, students are only qualified to take the board or licensing exam. They need to pass this exam and obtain their license in order to become Naturopathic practitioners. As practitioners, they are periodically re-tested by regulatory boards, and licenses need to be renewed every few years.

Given such rigorous training and education, it is safe to say that Naturopathic practitioners are very qualified individuals who take a very scientific and medical approach to their practice of medicine. Though the healing process itself may be alternative or non-conventional, the manner in which they are trained are actually quite conventional, which only adds to the credibility of the practice.