The diploma obtained is that of Naturopath N.D. N for Naturopath and D fo Diploma. The Naturopath, ND (without points) for Naturopath Doctor is offered by colleges that train “naturopathic doctors” in the US and Canada and can present the Nplex exam. The teaching is done at Bastyr University (Seattle, WA), the National College of Naturopathic Medicine (Portland, OR), the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (Tempe, AZ, University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine (Bridgeport, CT) and also in Canada: The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.
This training is given full-time over 4 years (4500 hours or more in the classroom) and 80% of the program concerns classical medicine including microsurgery.
References here
There is another vision of naturopathy, more complementary and non-substitutive to medicine, more oriented towards healthy living, health education, nutritherapy, natural care techniques and natural products. These programs are for adults, mostly part-time, and include between 1000 and 1500 hours of training. This is what most other schools like ours have chosen to offer with their diploma naturopath, N.D. (Naturopathy Diploma)
CAUTION
All schools of alternative medicine and naturopathy are private schools and their degree has no university credit or value. Some schools may rent rooms at the university and may suggest that they are university courses. Other schools are benefiting from a legal vacuum in alternative medicine by offering a worthless doctorate to attract clients.
In Quebec, the Minister of Health has asked private schools to no longer use the term doctorate for university studies with a minimum of 4 years full-time, but some schools continue to turn a deaf ear. Our school has decided to comply with it since 2011.
