A licensed naturopathic physician (N.D.) attends a four-year graduate-level naturopathic medical school and is educated in all of the same basic sciences as an M.D., but also studies holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness. In addition to a standard medical curriculum, the naturopathic physician is required to complete four years of training in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology, and counseling (to encourage people to make lifestyle changes in support of their personal health). A naturopathic physician takes rigorous professional board exams so that he or she may be licensed by a state or jurisdiction as a primary care general practice physician. Please see the  AANMC’s Professional Competency Profile for more information.

Additional information on naturopathic schools can be found on the  American Association of Naturopathic Medical Collegesweb site. 

Organizations 

American Association of Naturopathic Medical Colleges
The Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) was established in Febrary 2001, to propel and foster the naturpathic medical profession by actively supporting the academic efforts of accredited and recognized schools of naturopathic medicine. 

AANMC Member Schools: 

BASTYR University 
14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore, Washington 98028-4966
Phone: (425) 823-1300, Fax: (425) 823-6222 

National College of Natural Medicine
049 SW Porter St., Portland, OR 97201
Phone: (503) 552-1555 

National University of Health Sciences
200 East Roosevelt Road
Lombard, IL 60148
Phone: (630) 629-2000, Fax: (630) 889-6499 
* Granted candidacy status from the CNME in March 2008

Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine 
2140 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe, Arizona 85282
Phone: (480) 858-9100, Fax (480) 858.9116 

University of Bridgeport - College of Naturopathic Medicine 
Health Science Center, 60 Lafayette Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604
Phone: (800) EXCEL UB ext. 4108 

Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
1255 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M2K 1E2 
Phone: (416) 498-1255, Toll Free: 1-866-241-2266 

Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine
Boucher Centre, 300-435 Columbia Street, New Westminster, British Columbia, V3L 5N8
Phone: 604-777-9981, Fax: 604-777-9982 
 

The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
P.O. Box 178
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Phone: 413-528-8877
Fax: 413-528-8880 
President: Marcia Prenguber, ND
Executive Director: Daniel Seitz, JD, MAT
Email:  staff@cnme.org 

The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education's mission is quality assurance: serving the public by accrediting naturopathic medical education programs that voluntarily seek recognition that they meet or exceed CNME's standards. Students and graduates of programs accredited or preaccredited (candidacy) by CNME are eligible to apply for the naturopathic licensing examinations administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE), and are generally eligible for state and provincial licensure in the U.S. and Canada. 

Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination Board
P.O. Box 69657
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: (503) 250-9141
Phone: (416) 498-4255×227
President: Paul Sanders, PhD, ND
Executive Director: Christa Louise, MS, PhD 
Email:  christa@nabne.org 

The NPLEX (Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations) is the examination graduates of one of the approved naturopathic medical colleges must pass to be eligible for licensure in any of the 16 states or 5 provinces that license/register naturopathic physicians. The North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners is responsible for qualifying applicants to take the NPLEX, administering the NPLEX to examinees, and preparing and sending exam results and transcripts to licensing/regulatory authorities. 

North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) 
President: James Spring, DC, ND 
Executive Director: Christa Louise, MS, PhD 
9220 SW Barbur Boulevard, #119 
Portland, OR 97219-5434
Phone: (503) 778-7990
Email:  info@nabne.org 
www.nabne.org

The purpose of NABNE is to determine the qualifications of applicants to take the NPLEX, to administer the NPLEX to examinees, and to prepare and send exam results and transcripts to licensing/regulatory authorities. The institutions that regulate naturopathic medicine grant authority to NABNE to be the examining body for the naturopathic profession through their agreement to use the results of the NPLEX Examinations in their determination of the candidate’s eligibility for licensure (United States) or registration (Canada).

Information taken  from www.naturopathic.org

2/11/2010

A Naturopathic Physician is trained in the methods of treatment commonly referred to as alternative medicine. When you see an ND for health care your treatments may include therapeutic diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes, such as a stop smoking program, herbal medicines, nutritional medicines, manual manipulation or physical therapies. Your naturopathic physician may refer you for massage, acupuncture or midwifery services as needed. You and your chosen ND would work together to determine the best possible treatments available including those traditionally provided by specialists such as cardiologists, allergists, pulmonary specialists and so on.   (Taken from the BC Naturopathic Association website   www.bcna.ca)

2/11/2010

Currently, 15 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors. In these states, naturopathic doctors are required to graduate from a four-year, residential naturopathic medical school and pass and extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to receive a license. For information about the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination Board (NPLEX) and the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE), please see our Education page. 

Licensed naturopathic physicians must fulfill state-mandated continuing education requirements annually, and will have a specific scope of practice defined by their state's law. The states that currently have licensing laws for naturopathic physicians are: 

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Kansas
• Maine
• Minnesota*
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• Oregon
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington
• United States Territories: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

*Effective July 2, 2009. 

National Organizations 

Federation of Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Authorities
President: Craig Runbeck, NMD 
Phone: (602) 542-8242
Email:  craigrunbeck@npbomex.az.gov
344 SW 7th St.
Suite B
Newport, OR  97365-4915
Phone & Fax: (541) 265-6378
Email:   fnplaorg@hotmail.com 
www.fnpla.org 

The federation is an organization of members of state licensing boards.

United States Licensing Organizations 

Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development
Division of Occupational Licensing Naturopathic Section
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
Phone: (907) 465-2695
Email:  stacie.johnston@alaska.gov
www.dced.state.ak.us/occ/pnat.htm

Arizona Naturopathic Board of Medical Examiners
Executive Director: Craig Runbeck, NMD
1400 W. Washington Ave, #230
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (602) 542-8242
www.npbomex.az.gov

Osteopathic Medical Board of California 
Naturopathic Medicine Committee 
Contact: Francine Davies
1300 National Drive, Suite 150
Sacramento, CA  95834
Mailing Address: PO Box 980490
West Sacramento, CA 95798-0490
Phone: (916) 928-4785
Fax: (916) 928-4787
Email:  naturopathic@dca.ca.gov
www.naturopathic.ca.gov/

Connecticut Board of Naturopathic Examiners
410 Capitol Avenue, MS#12APP
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Phone: (860) 509-7562
Email:  oplc.dph@ct.gov
www.dph.state.ct.us

District of Columbia Department of Health Advisory Committee on Naturopathic Physicians  
Licensing Specialist: Antoinette Stokes
717 14th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (877) 672-2174
Fax: (202) 727-8471
Web site: http://hpla.doh.dc.gov/hpla/cwp/view,a,1195,q,494455.asp

Hawaii Board of Examiners in Naturopathy
Executive Officer: Candace Ito
DCCA-PVL, Attn: NAT
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801
Phone: (808) 586-2704
Email:  naturopathy@dcca.hawaii.gov
http://hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/pvl/boards/naturopathy/

Kansas State Board of Healing Arts
235 S. Topeka Blvd
Topeka, KS 66603-3068
Phone: (785) 296-7413
Toll Free: (888) 886-7205
Fax: (785) 296-0852
www.ksbha.org

Maine Board of Complementary Health Care Providers
Contact: Geraldine Betts
35 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0035
Phone: (207) 624-8689
Email:  comphealth.board@maine.gov
http://maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/complementary/naturopathic_doctor.htm

Minnesota Board of Medical Practice 
Naturopathic Advisory Council 
Chair: Helen Healy, ND 
University Park Plaza 
2829 University Avenue, S.E., Suite 500 
Minneapolis, MN 55414-3246 
Phone: (612) 617-2130 
http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/home.do?agency=BMP

Montana Alternative Health Care Board
301 S. Park, 4th Floor
P.O. Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
Phone: (406) 841-2394
Email:  dlibsdahc@mt.gov
http://www.mt.gov/dli/ahc/licenses/ahc/npp_license.asp

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Licensing & Regulative Services
129 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3857
Phone: (603) 271-0853
Toll-Free: (800) 852-3345 x4814
http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/LRS/ELIGIBILITY/naturopathic-license.htm

Oregon Board of Naturopathic Examiners
800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 407
Portland, OR 97232
Phone: (971) 673-0193
Email:  obne.info@state.or.us
http://www.oregon.gov/OBNE/index.shtml

Utah Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Board
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Phone: (80) 530-6628
http://www.dopl.utah.gov/licensing/naturopathy.html

Vermont Office of the Secretary of State
Office of Professional Regulation Naturopathic Physicians Advisors
Contact: Kristy Kemp
National Life Building
North FL2
Montpelier, VT 05620-3402
Phone: (802) 828-2373
http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/naturopaths/

Washington State Department of Health Naturopathy Program
Health Professions Quality Assurance
PO Box 47865
Olympia, WA 98504-7865
Phone: (360) 236-4700
Fax: (360) 236-4818
http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Professions/Naturopathy/default.htm

Canadian Organizations 

Canadian Provincial Licensing Boards 

College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta
P.O. Box 21142
665-8th St. S.W. 
Calgary, AB T2P 4H5
Phone: (403) 266-2446
www.cnda.net

Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy - Naturopathy 
112 Adelaide Street East 
Toronto, ON M5C 1K9 
Phone: (416) 866-8383 
Fax: (416) 866-2175 
Email:  office@bddtn.ca
www.BoardofNaturopathicMedicine.on.ca 

The College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia 
1698 West 6th Ave. 
Vancouver, BC V6J 1R3 
Phone: (604) 688-8236  
Email:  office@cnpbc.bc.ca
www.cnpbc.bc.ca 

Manitoba Naturopathic Association 
Box 2339 Station Main 
Winnipeg, MB R3C 4A6 
Phone: (204) 947-0381 
Email:  info@mbnd.ca
www.mbnd.ca 
 
Saskatchewan Association of Naturopathic Practitioners 
2120 College Ave. 
Regina, SK S4P 1C5 
Phone: (306) 522-0095
Fax: (306) 352-3841
Email:  registrar@sanp.ca
www.sanp.ca 

Puerto Rico

Junta Examiadora de Doctores en Naturopathia 
Oficina de Regiamentacion y Certification Para Profesionales de  La Salud
Secretary: Myrian Plaza
Call Box 10200
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00909-0200

Information taken from www.naturopathic.org

2/11/2010