Expert: Kay Larson - 1/3/2011

Question
Hi Kay,
I'm confused about the following answer that you gave to another blogger...you wrote, "I don't know of any accredited schools that offer traditional naturopathy degree programs.  The accrediting agencies will not allow any school to offer a naturopathy degree unless it is a medical naturopathic degree."

Isn't Bastyr University an accredited Naturopathic School?  What is the difference between a medical naturopathic degree and a traditional naturopathic degree?
Thanks!
P.S. I ordered your book..should get it this week.
Bev

Answer
Hi Bev-Bastyr is a medical school that prepares students to become licensed naturopathic physicians (NDs). They learn natural health principles as well as orthodox medicine. A traditional naturopath is not a licensed physician, but is someone who learns naturopathic principles, such as of proper nutrition, herbology, homeopathy, detoxification, etc. Traditional naturopaths can be thought of as educators and therefore cannot diagnose, cure or treat any condition or disease. As I mentioned, there are no USDE accredited schools that offer degrees in traditional naturopathy at this time, only naturopathic medical degrees.
I believe that becoming a naturopathic physician is at this writing, a poor career choice. Why? First off, only 15 states license NDs. That means a naturopathic physician can't even practice as such in 35 states. And in the states that do recognize them, most insurance companies still won't take them, they can't work in hospitals and most HMOs. So, you go to a school like Bastyr, (there are only 4 naturopathic medical schools in the US), you'll end up spending a bundle and you can't do a whole lot. So what's the point?  If I wanted to become a licensed physician and practice integrative medicine, I'd go to one of the medical schools in the caribbean as they're much less expensive than the states. Then after I finished, I'd enroll in one of nontraditional schools offering an education in alternative medicine. To me that would make much more sense as it would give a lot more freedom.  Hope this helps.