The horizon of medical care is shifting due to patient demand and will continue to embrace the integrative approach for medical interventions. Naturopathic Doctors are exceptionally trained to find the root cause of illness and treat the whole person. The conventional model of healthcare traditionally emphasizes a reactive approach to patient care, which has its limitations in the chronic illness model.
Patients are choosing to be more proactive with their healthcare to prevent costly and serious health conditions later in life. This increased demand for enhanced quality of life is the driving force behind the changing healthcare market. Naturopathic Doctors are well poised to meet this growing portion of the healthcare industry while working collaboratively with all healthcare providers to ensure all patients receive the very best care possible.
Naturopathic Doctors must attend accredited 4-year medical schools equivalent in education standards that medical doctors (MD) and osteopathic doctors (DO) receive. Naturopathic Doctors must also pass national board exams and some have the privilege to attend residencies for advanced clinical training. Unlike conventional medical residencies, the funding for naturopathic residency programs is entirely privately funded. The philosophies and specific modalities of medicine varies between each branch of medical training but the focus of each branch is born from the same focus; service.
Naturopathic Doctors follow these 6 principles:
The healing power of nature - trust the body’s inherent wisdom to correct dysfunction
Identify and treat the root causes - look beyond the symptoms to the underlying cause
First do no harm - think through all interventions to provide the least invasive treatments first
Doctor as teacher - educate the patient because knowledge is power
Treat the whole person - the human body is a complex ecosystem & not a series of isolated body systems
Prevention - treatment without prevention is unsustainable