The Naturopathic Program
Becoming an naturopathic physician requires 7-8 yea
rs of post-secondary education. Prior to applying for the naturopathic program, students must complete at least 3 years at a recognized university, fulfilling specific science requirements. Each naturopathic college has an extensive screening process; the top applicants may be accepted into the 4-year naturopathic program. The full-time program includes 3 years of classroom studies and hands-on training (totalling over 4,200 hours), and over 12 months of internship.
Naturopathic Education
Like an MD, Naturopathic Doctors are trained extensively in health assessment, history taking, physical examination, diagnosis and prevention. However, in addition to the standard medical training, naturopaths also learn Chinese diagnostic techniques, and go much further in depth to find out exactly how patients are being affected by their illness.
Treating the underlying cause of disease is one of the primary naturopathic principles. Naturopathic students have in-depth education on many natural treatment modalities. These include: acupuncture, nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, physical medicine, naturopathic bodywork, counseling, and manipulation.
Naturopathic Qualifications
After graduation, there are 5 days of rigorous Naturopathic Licensing Examinations (NPLEx). These oral and written board exams as administered by both the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE), and by the province/state that the naturopath will practice in.
In B.C., the College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia (CNPBC) regulates the naturopathic profession and issues naturopathic license. Dr. Lee, N.D. is a licensed member its good standing with the CNPBC, and holds certification in Acupuncture.
Port Coquitlam Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Lee graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in 2004. CCNM is the first naturopathic college to be accredited in Canada. Previously, she held a naturopathic licences in Ontario and Vermont.
She is also a member of:
- British Columbia Naturopathic Association (BCNA)
- Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND)
- Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP).
Naturopathic associations promote awareness of the naturopathic profession. They increase public awareness of how naturopathic health care can help improve lives.