How Do I choose with all the Alternative Practitioner Choices?
Trending more and more are alternative medicine practitioners as there are a handful of careers that are called “naturopathic” that aren’t physicians or naturopathic doctors. These non-physician naturopathic careers have titles like “Holistic Health Practitioner,” “Naturopathic Practitioner,” or Traditional Naturopath.” They study in non-medical schools and universities that may have “nature” or “naturopathy in their titles, but this coursework doesn’t lead to a medical degree that’s accepted or licensed as a naturopathic doctor. Most of the course work is also on-line for these schools, sometimes entirely.
The differences between the two boil down to the type of education and licensing each receives. If you want to be sure your new integrative doctor has a medical education and license on which to base their advice to you, then look only for a Naturopathic Doctor. They have attended a Federally and Regionally accredited Naturopathic school as well as completed an internship at the same.
If you’re interested in the natural side of treatment advice—excluding medical knowledge—then a naturopath’s skills may work well for you. Still confused? Here is a useful resource for comparing your Naturopathic providers education, training and curriculum against that of a Naturopathic Doctor ND. Naturopathic School Comparison