DEFINITION OF NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of primary 
health care; an art, science, philosophy and practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness. Naturopathic medicine is distinguished by the principles upon which its practice is based. These principles are continually re-examined in the light of scientific advances. The techniques of naturopathic medicine include modern, traditional, scientific and empirical methods.
Naturopathic Physicians
Naturopathic medical students attend a four-year, graduate-level accredited medical school, after which they must pass North American board examinations to obtain a license to practice medicine. Comprehensively trained in the science of natural healthcare, the naturopathic physician develops specially honed skills in conventional and natural medicine, creating a knowledgebase to support patients in making informed choices about their health. Integrative partnerships between conventional medical doctors and licensed NDs are becoming widespread. This cooperative method accomodates more effective therapies that treat the body system from several angles. Adding naturopathic medicine as a synergistic addition to western treatments is defining a new wave of healing.
Naturopathic physicians are experts in the use of drug-nutrient and drug-herb interactions. They practice in a wide range of in-patient and out-patient settings, such as Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Frequently they are consulted as expert advisors in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. At the national level, they play prominent roles in organizations like the White House Commission on CAM, the advisory board for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), and the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee. Licensing laws for naturpathic doctors exist in 14 states, the District of Columbia, and the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
