What is the difference between Naturopathic Medicine, homeopathy and other practitioners of alternative medicine?
Naturopathic Doctors are educated in the conventional medical sciences in addition to a range of natural therapeutics. Naturopathic Doctors complete a minimum of three years premedical studies at university, followed by four years of intensive post-graduate training at an accredited Naturopathic college, and are provincially licensed and regulated. Graduates from the Naturopathic college receive a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) Diploma. Homeopaths, on the other hand, are not required to obtain an undergrad degree prior to entering a homeopathy program, and they are not a regulated profession. Where homeopaths utilize their one modality (homeopathy), naturopaths use several modalities of treatment – which include homeopathy, as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture and herbs), clinical nutrition, botanical medicine (herbs), bodywork, hydrotherapy, and lifestyle counseling.
