Bastyr University(Summer, 2007) - Representatives from the AANMC recently presented at three regional conferences of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP). Each conference presentation, “A Professions Update on Naturopathic Medicine,” outlined the naturopathic medical approach to patient care and covered both general and in-depth information about the field, including:
- Increasing usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among patients.
- Common, chronic conditions treated: ear infections, ADHD, allergies, environmental illness, obesity, heart disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, diabetes.
- Current trends in direct treatment cost: decrease in personal health care spending, increase in prescription drug spending.
- The big picture of the U.S. health care system: currently ranked 37th internationally by the World Health Organization.
- Naturopathic medicine as one solution: the seven principles and therapeutic order of naturopathic medicine.
- Treatments provided by naturopathic doctors (NDs): primary care, lifestyle counseling, diagnostic tests, natural medicines and drug prescriptions, in-office vaccinations, physical and gynecological exams, collaboration with other health care providers, and patient education and empowerment.
- Career opportunities: solo private practice, group or integrated practice, hospitals, community health centers, HIV/AIDS clinics, cancer treatment centers, universities, research laboratories, and health and wellness clinics/spas.
- Career satisfaction: an industry survey reporting that 98 percent of practicing NDs are either satisfied with or love their work.
- Income satisfaction: correlating with years in practice – greatly increasing after the five-year marker.
- Age distribution: the majority (62 percent) of students falling within the 25-to-39 age range.
- Undergraduate majors: the majority (51 percent) coming from health care or the biological sciences.
- The basic science curricula: anatomy and embryology, histology, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology/immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology.
- Naturopathic practice principles and the supporting clinical curricula: nutrition, botanical medicine, physical medicine, homeopathy, counseling, minor surgery, structural adjustment, and more specialty treatments.
- Growth and licensure efforts of the profession.
Paul Mittman, ND, DHANP, presented at the Western and Central regional conferences, while Gannady Raskin, MD, ND, presented at the North Eastern regional conference.
Learn more about the six naturopathic medical colleges.