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WHAT
IS NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE?
Naturopathic medicine
is a complete and co-ordinated approach to health care. It is
the art and science of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention
using natural therapies and gentle techniques.
Naturopathic Doctors
are the general practitioners of natural medicine. With at least
seven years of post-secondary education, they are trained to
identify the underlying cause of disease and to help the body
heal itself using natural methods, not prescription drugs and
surgery. Naturopathic doctors are highly qualified to recognize
when referrals to other heath care practitioners are required.
The
therapies used in naturopathic practice include:
- Asian Medicine/Acupuncture
- Botanical Medicine
- Clinical Nutrition
- Homeopathic
Medicine
- Physical Medicine
- Lifestyle Counselling
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HOW
DO YOU BECOME A NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR?
The Canadian College
of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) offers Canada's only CNME
accredited four-year, full-time professional program in
naturopathic medicine. Graduates receive a Doctor of Naturopathic
Medicine (ND) diploma.
Candidates must
complete a minimum of three years (15 full courses or 90 credit
hours) towards a Baccalaureate degree. Upon completion of the program,
graduates take international licensing examinations before registration
is granted to practice as a naturopathic doctor.
CCNM's full-time
program began in 1983. As public interest in this proven approach
to health care has grown, so have the college's application rates.
There are more than 500 students currently in the program, and
enrolment will be capped at 600 within the next few years.
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WHAT
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES EXIST FOR NATUROPATHIC DOCTORS?
Public demand for
qualified natural health care has never been higher. As a result,
the career opportunities
for naturopathic doctors have never been better. As primary health
care practitioners, the majority of NDs are in general, private
practice. Some work alone, while others share their practice
with complementary and conventional practitioners.
Additional opportunities
exist in teaching, employee assistance programs, research and
development, public education, consulting for industry and government
relations.
WATCH A SHORT CLIP FROM OUR
RECRUITMENT VIDEO
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WHAT
DOES CCNM'S PROGRAM ENTAIL?
Students receive
more than 4,200 hours of classroom and clinical training. The
three major areas of study are:
Basic
Medical Sciences
Courses in anatomy
and histology, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology and immunology
are covered. Problem-solving skills in applied basic life sciences
are developed through lectures, case discussions, tutorial groups
and clinical simulations. Some of these courses include a laboratory
component.
Clinical
Disciplines
Includes physical
and clinical diagnosis, differential and laboratory diagnosis,
radiology, naturopathic assessment and orthopedics. The principles
and philosophy of naturopathic medicine form the bridgework between
the academic and clinical parts of the curriculum.
Naturopathic
Disciplines
Six major disciplines
define the areas of naturopathic practice. These are Asian
Medicine/Acupuncture, Botanical Medicine, Clinical Nutrition,
Homeopathic Medicine, Physical Medicine,
Lifestyle Counselling and Prevention.
Each is a distinct
area and includes both diagnostic principles and clinical practice,
as well as therapeutic skills and techniques. Instruction in
all the naturopathic therapies is provided.
Click here for a sample of CCNM's
class schedule
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CCNM
- PROVIDING LEADING-EDGE TRAINING
Clinical
experience
Fourth-year students
provide patients with high quality natural health care at CCNM's
on-site Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic.
As well, students in their second and third years have opportunities
to observe and carry out some treatments. The purpose of clinical
training is to provide a hands-on learning environment with patients,
so that students can apply their academic knowledge and learn
skills to become competent naturopathic doctors. Every aspect
of clinical training is supervised by a faculty of registered
naturopathic doctors.
WATCH A SHORT CLIP FROM OUR
RECRUITMENT VIDEO
Library
facilities
CCNM's Learning
Resources Centre houses hundreds of natural health books
and journals, and provides instant access to over 3,000 medical
journals through its electronic databases, including MEDLINE
and the Complementary Medical Index provided by the British Library
Medical Service.
Research
Thoroughly researched, evidence based
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is one of the
foundations of CCNM's naturopathic program. During the past year,
CCNM’s research department acquired 10 grants from, among others:
The Lotte and John Hecht Foundation
Diabetes UK
The Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)
The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation
The Interdiscliplinary Network of Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (IN-CAM)
Health Canada
These grants funded individual and
collaborative randomized control trials, systematic reviews and
qualitative studies, to research topics such as the safety of
popular herbal supplements during pregnancy, the interaction of
herbal medicines with antiretroviral HIV medications, the impact
of acupuncture on cocaine dependence, and the use of herbal agents
for cancer prevention and treatment.
Findings of more than 30 studies and reviews
have been published in peer-reviewed medical journals such as:
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
AIDS
Vaccine
International Journal of STDs and AIDS
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ)
Mayo Clinic Proceedings
Pediatrics
Nutrition Journal
Findings have been presented at
international conferences including the International AIDS
Conference (Bangkok), the Academy of Science (South Africa), the
Institute of Medicine (Washington), and the annual conference of
the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (Seattle).
The College has also been awarded
contract-based research projects by industry-leading natural
health companies.
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IS
CCNM'S PROGRAM ACCREDITED?
The Canadian College
of Naturopathic Medicine is accredited by the Council on
Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). The CNME is accredited by
the U.S. Department of Education as the official accrediting
agency for Naturopathic Medical Colleges and Universities in North
America.
For more information,
visit our Accreditation Q & A page,
or go to the CNME Web site.
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NATUROPATHIC PRACTICE IN CANADA
Naturopathic
doctors take an extensive patient history and perform physical
examinations using standard diagnostic instruments and laboratory
tests. Additional information related to lifestyle - including diet,
emotions, stress, exercise, and exposure to environmental hazards -
may be requested. Naturopathic Doctors do not use prescription drugs
or surgery. They are extensively trained in the application of
natural substances and conservative therapies to support and
stimulate healing. People experiencing chronic or acute conditions
can benefit from naturopathic treatment. Through assessing general
health status and after diagnosing specific conditions, the
naturopathic doctor will recommend a specific treatment regime. The
goal of naturopathic practice is to treat the underlying disorders
and to restore normal body function by enhancing the body's own
healing abilities. Therefore, naturopathic doctors must focus their
efforts on understanding the unique needs of each patient. As a
result naturopathic treatments are highly individualized. Patients
are involved in their health program and learn to make effective,
educated self-care decisions which can prevent future health
problems. Naturopathic practice is regulated under provincial law in four
provinces: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan,
with licensure pending in Alberta. Regulated naturopathic doctors
are required to complete three years of pre-medical training at a
recognized university, four years of full-time naturopathic
education at an approved college and pass rigorous regulatory board
examinations that are standardized across North America.
(Source: Canadian Association of
Naturopathic Doctors)
Canadian Association of
Naturopathic Doctors / Association Canadienne des docteurs en
naturopathie
1255 Sheppard Avenue East,
Toronto, ON M2K 1E2
416-496-8633 1-877-628-7784
info@cand.ca
www.cand.ca
Ontario
The profession of naturopathic
medicine has been regulated since 1925 in Ontario. The Board of
Directors of Drugless Therapy – Naturopathy maintains a list of
all naturopathic doctors who have met the requirements outlined
above and passed the provincial board examinations.
Board of Directors, Drugless
Therapy - Naturopathy (BDDTN)
112 Adelaide St.E., Toronto, ON M5C 1K9
Tel: 416-866-8383
office@bddtn.on.ca
Ontario Association of
Naturopathic Doctors (OAND)
344 Bloor Street West, #602, Toronto, ON M8X 1X3
Tel: 416-233-2001
info@oand.org
www.oand.org
British
Columbia
Naturopathic doctors have been
licensed in B.C. since 1936. The provincial licensing is
conducted by The College of Naturopathic Physicians of British
Columbia (CNPBC). Registered NDs in B.C. must complete 40 hours
of approved continuing education within any 24-month period.
CNPBC
2238 Pine St.,
Vancouver, BC V6J 5V4
Tel: 604-688-8236
office@cnpbc.bc.ca
British Columbia Naturopathic
Association
2238 Pine Pine St., Vancouver, BC V6J 5V4
Tel: 604-736-6646
1-800-277-1128
bcna@bcna.ca
www.bcna.bc.ca
Alberta
The naturopathic profession is
included under the Health Professions Act (HPA) in Alberta.
Regulations for the profession have been drafted and are
expected to be in place in the near future. Members will be
required to complete continuing education credits every year and
complete competency evaluation to maintain rigorous practice
standards.
Alberta Association of
Naturopathic Practitioners
P.O. Box 211142, 665-8th St. S.W., Calgary, AB T2P 4H5
Tel: 403-287-9201
www.naturopathic-alberta.com
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Association of
Naturopathic Practitioners (regulatory body)
3616 Albert St., Regina, SK S4S 3P6
Tel: 306-757-0117
Saskatchewan Association of
Naturopathic Physicians
Lower Level, 500 – 1st Ave. N.W., Moose Jaw, SK S6H
3M5
Tel: 306-692-3348
Manitoba
Manitoba Naturopathic
Association (also acts as regulatory body)
161 Stafford St., #2, Winnipeg, MB R3M 2W9
Tel: 204-947-0381
New Brunswick
New Brunswick Association of
Naturopathic Doctors
115 Hazen St., Saint John, NB E2L 3L3
Tel: 506-693-2114
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Association of
Naturopathic Doctors
189 Dykeland St., Suite 3, Wolfville, NS B4P 1A3
Tel: 902-542-5560
Quebec Association of
Naturopathic Medicine
1173 boul. du Mont Royal O., Outrement, QC H3W 1X2
Tel: 514-279-6629
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