Pre-Medical Preparation at UHMānoa: Naturopathic Medicine
(Text compiled from the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges website www.aanmc.org, NAAHP's Medical Professions Admission Guide, and the UHM 2005-2006 Catalog.)
Naturopathic D.N and D.N.M. Programs
Prerequisites for Admission
What makes a strong candidate?
Standardized Tests
The Application Process
Additional Information
Downloadable Brochure
Medical doctors, or physicians, are highly trained healthcare professionals who perform medical examinations, diagnose illnesses, prescribe drugs, and treat patients suffering from injury or disease using a variety of techniques.
Physicians serve in all types of communities, from rural to inner city, and in a wide variety of settings, from private practice to clinics and hospitals. They also work in specialized settings, such as homeless shelters, schools, sports programs, prisons, nursing homes, third-world countries, and the armed forces. About one-third of the nation's physicians are generalists, or "primary care" doctors, although that percentage is declining as more physicians choose to become specialists. Generalists include fields such as internists, family physicians, and pediatricians. Specialists focus on a particular system or part of the body; examples include neurologists, hematologists, cardiologists, and podiatrists, to name only a few.
Physicians also serve in research, studying and developing new treatments for disease, in academia, sharing their skills by educating medical students, in health organizations, pharmaceutical companies, medical technology manufacturing, health insurance companies, and in corporations with health and safety programs.
There are four main degrees in medicine: allopathic, chiropractic, naturopathic, and osteopathic. Allopathic physicians (M.D.s, Medical Doctors, or Doctors of Medicine) practice the most widespread type medicine, founded in Western scientific traditions and focused on diagnosing and treating injury and disease. Chiropractic physicians (D.C.s, Doctors of Chiropractic, or Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine) focus on the nervous system and the relationship between health and the alignment of the musculoskeletal structure. Naturopathic physicians (D.N.s, or Doctors of Naturopathy) emphasize maintaining health through physical and spiritual wellness and may incorporate nontraditional or non-Western methods, such as acupuncture, reflexology, and homeopathic remedies. Osteopathic physicians (D.O.s, or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine) take a comprehensive, holistic approach, focusing on the total well being of each individual. The main difference between an M.D. and a D.O. today is that the D.O. receives training in manipulating the musculoskeletal system in addition to the core medical training.
Naturopathic D.N. and D.N.M. Programs
Becoming a Doctor of Naturopathy (D.N.) or Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (D.N.M.) requires 8 or more years of education:
- Bachelors Degree (ca. 4 years);
- Naturopathic Medical School (4 years);
- Postdoctoral programs, or Residencies (1+ years).
The first two years of naturopathic medical school are generally classroom lectures, problem-based learning, or a mixture of the two. The final two years are usually primarily clinical internships under the supervision of licensed professionals. In addition to the standard medical curriculum, naturopathic training includes nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology, and counseling.
After graduating from naturopathic medical school, D.N.s must pass a board exam for their state or jurisdiction of practice to become licensed as a primary care general practice physician. All physicians must be licensed to practice.
Physicians may choose to attend a postdoctoral residency program for further clinical training or specialization. Programs are certified by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.
Prerequisites for Admission
Most importantly, remember that requirements vary from school to school! See the attached list of schools and their prerequisite courses; you should create a list of all the courses you will need to apply to the schools you are interested in attending.
The Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) recommends students complete at least three years of pre-med training and earn a baccalaureate degree before applying. The following UHM courses are commonly required for admission to naturopathic schools:
Biol 171/171Lab and 172/172Lab |
Introductory Biology I and II |
(three schools require or recommend Biol 275/275L as well) |
|
Chem 161/161Lab and 162/162Lab |
General Chemistry I and II |
Chem 272/272Lab and 273/273Lab |
Organic Chemistry I and II |
(three schools require only Organic Chemistry I) |
|
Phys 151/151L |
College Physics I |
(two schools do not require Physics; lab is optional for all but one school) |
|
Math 140 |
Precalculus |
Additional requirements include English, other humanities, psychology, and other social sciences. Recommended courses include anatomy, biochemistry, medical ethics, medical terminology, microbiology, philosophy of science, physiology, public speaking, and statistics.
What makes a strong candidate?
Naturopathic school tuition, as high as it is, covers only a fraction of the cost of educating a D.N., which means that each new student represents a huge investment. Schools need to be certain that the students they accept will be capable of completing the curriculum and are likely to become good physicians.
Are you capable of completing the medical curriculum?
Medical school admissions committees are looking for students who have:
- completed the prerequisites
- a high overall GPA
- a high science/math GPA
- balanced their course load so it is challenging yet realistic
Are you likely to become a good physician?
Admissions committees look for students who have:
- demonstrated empathy, compassion, and a commitment to public service
- high ethical and moral standards and a conscientious work ethic
- demonstrated maturity (judgment, responsibility, dependability)
- a broad liberal arts education that includes the humanities and social sciences
- experience in the field and with what naturopathy entails
- a well-rounded life that balances academics, community service, social activities, and personal interests (hobbies, skills, sports, etc.)
- excellent oral and written communication skills
- strong letters of recommendation
Standardized Tests
None of the accredited naturopathy schools currently requires a standardized entrance exam, but students should always check with individual schools to be certain.
The Application Process
There are currently five accredited naturopathic schools, and a sixth is a candidate for accreditation. There is no centralized application service. Apply directly to each school you are interested in attending; applications can be ordered or downloaded online from the schools' websites. All of the schools' websites can be accessed through the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education at www.cnme.org/links.html.
Naturopathic schools usually require letters of recommendation (a guideline is available in PAC) and some require an interview. Students are responsible for all costs incurred while interviewing, including airfare, lodging, and meals.
Note: Deadlines and application procedures differ from school to school. It is your responsibility to meet all deadlines and follow all procedures; be sure to read all instructions carefully!
Tips on applying:
- The more you know about the school, the better your chances of being accepted.
- Contact individual schools' Admissions Offices to find out how they handle:
- advanced placement (AP) credits
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits
- courses taken at a community college
- courses taken for credit/no credit instead of a grade
- residency issues
- time limits on acceptable science courses
- coursework taken outside the U.S.
Additional Information
UHMānoa’s Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) has reference books, lists of volunteer opportunities, academic planning worksheets, and one-on-one advising by peers who can help you prepare for and apply to naturopathic medical schools.
| UHM's Pre-Medical Association (PMA) | www.hawaii.edu/premed premed@hawaii.edu |
| UHM's Biology Club | www2.hawaii.edu/~bioclub bioclub@hawaii.edu |
| Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges | www.aanmc.org |
| Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) | www.cnme.org |
| American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) | www.naturopathic.org |
| Natural Healers (includes links to a variety of alternative medicine programs in addition to naturopathic; the site includes unaccredited programs) |
www.naturalhealers.com |