Naturopathic medical programs are doctoral-level professional degree programs, just like allopathic and osteopathic medical programs.  Naturopathic medical programs are accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), a US Department of Education specialized accrediting agency.

 

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In the USA, the hierarchy of educational degrees begins with a certificate (easiest to attain) and ends with a doctorate degree (hardest to attain).

• Certificate
• Diploma
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor Degree
• Master Degree
• Doctorate Degree

A professional doctorate degree is different than a philosophical doctorate degree (PhD).¹

• A professional doctorate degree focuses on the practical application of knowledge and theory that already exist within a field to solve real-world problems.  Research of professional doctorate degrees focuses on continuing work within a field and applying knowledge gained to continue to make improvements.  A medical degree is a type of professional degree.

• A philosophical doctorate degree (PhD) focuses on contributing new knowledge and theory to a field to solve real-world problems.  Research of philosophical doctorate degrees focuses on research and analysis of new theories and solutions within a field.  A person who earns a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is called a “philosopher”.

A medical student earns a professional doctorate degree, not a philosophical doctorate degree (PhD).  More specifically, the type of professional doctorate degree that a medical student earns is a medical doctorate degree (NMD, ND, MD, DO).

A medical student is not a “doctoral candidate”.  Becoming a “doctoral candidate” is a term reserved for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students who have completed their academic classes towards the earning of a PhD degree and are awaiting defense of their dissertation.  A PhD student becomes a PhD candidate (“doctoral candidate”) when the student achieves  “candidacy” status.  It is incorrect for a medical student to identify oneself as a doctoral candidate.

When an individual decides to attend a naturopathic medical program, that individual is said to be a naturopathic medical student (NMS) and in naturopathic medical school.  When an individual decides to attend an allopathic medical program, that individual is said to be an allopathic medical student (MS) in allopathic medical school.  When an individual decides to attend an osteopathic medical program, that individual is said to be an osteopathic medical student (OMS) in osteopathic medical school.

When in medical school, the below initials for medical students are used:

• NMS = naturopathic medical student
• OMS = osteopathic medical student
• MS = allopathic medical student

For all students, the initials are usually followed by a hyphen and the year in school of the student, for example:

• NMS-3 = 3rd-year naturopathic medical student
• OMS-4 = 4th-year osteopathic medical student
• MS-1 = 1st-year allopathic medical student

 

Below are answers to frequently asked questions about naturopathic medical programs in the USA.

 

Which US Department of Education specialized accrediting agency accredits naturopathic medicine degree programs?²

The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) accredits naturopathic medicine (NMD/ND) degree programs in the USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredits allopathic medicine (MD) degree programs in the USA.

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) accredits osteopathic medicine (DO) degree programs in the USA.

 

What schools currently have CNME-accredited or CNME-provisionally accredited programs that offer a doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine (naturopathy)?³

There are currently 9 schools in North America that have CNME-accredited or CNME-provisionally accredited programs that offer a doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine (naturopathy).

The CNME-accredited schools that offer a doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine are:

• Bastyr University (BU) – School of Naturopathic Medicine – Kenmore, Washington, USA
• Bastyr University California (BUC) – School of Naturopathic Medicine – San Diego, California, USA
• Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine (BINM) – New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
• Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) – College of Professional Studies – Lombard, Illinois, USA
• National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) – College of Naturopathic Medicine – Portland, Oregon, USA
• Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences (SCNM) – Tempe, Arizona, USA
• University of Bridgeport (UB) – College of Naturopathic Medicine – Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA

The CNME-provisionally accredited school that offers a doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine is:

• Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez (SUAGM) Universidad del Turabo (UT) – Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud – Gurabo, Puerto Rico

 

What does it mean if a naturopathic medical program is CNME-provisionally accredited?⁴

If a naturopathic medical program is CNME-provisionally accredited, it means that the school has applied for and met accreditation candidacy requirements with the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) and that the program has had full-time naturopathic medical students enrolled for at least 1 academic year, but that the school has not yet graduated its first class of students in the program.

 

REFERENCES

1. A professional doctorate degree is different than a philosophical doctorate degree (PhD).

   • Northcentral University.  How to Decide Between a PhD and a Professional Doctorate.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Capella University.  The Difference Between a PhD and a Professional Doctorate.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School.  Advancing to Doctoral Candidacy.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer.  Glossary: Professional Degree.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Commonwealth of Australia – Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade).  studyinaustralia.gov.au – Glossary: Professional (degrees).  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • U.S. Department of Education.  Stats in Brief – Graduate and First-Professional Students: 2007-08.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.

2. Which US Department of Education specialized accrediting agency accredits naturopathic medicine degree programs?

   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Scope and Purpose of Accreditation.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • American Osteopathic Association. COM Accreditation.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • S. Department of Education – Office of Postsecondary Education. The Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs:  Accreditation – Agency List.  Accessed on 2016 Aug 03.
   • Liaison Committee on Medical Education.  Liaison Committee on Medical Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 14.
   • U.S. Department of Education.  U.S. Department of Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • U.S. Department of Education.  Accreditation: Universities and Higher Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.

3. What schools currently have CNME-accredited or CNME-provisionally accredited programs that offer a doctorate degree in naturopathic medicine (naturopathy)?

   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. CNME Accredited and Candidate Programs.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • Bastyr University.  Bastyr University.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Bastyr University California.  Bastyr University California.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Bastyr University.  School of Naturopathic Medicine.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 16.
   • Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine.  Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.  Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • National University of Health Sciences.  National University of Health Sciences.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • National University of Health Sciences.  College of Professional Studies.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 16.
   • National University of Natural Medicine.  National University of Natural Medicine.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • National University of Natural Medicine.  College of Naturopathic Medicine.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 16.
   • Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences.  Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • University of Bridgeport.  University of Bridgeport (UB).  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • University of Bridgeport.  Naturopathic Medicine (N.D.) Degree Program.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 16.
   • Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez – Universidad del Turabo.  Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez Universidad del Turabo.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez – Universidad del Turabo.  Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 16.
   • U.S. Department of Education.  Accreditation: Universities and Higher Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.

4. What does it mean if a naturopathic medical program is CNME-provisionally accredited?

   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. CNME Handbook of Accreditation for Naturopathic Medicine Programs.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 15.
   • U.S. Department of Education.  Accreditation: Universities and Higher Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.