Alternative Medicine Education

List of terms for Alternative Medicine

Doctor of Naturopathy
Doctor of Naturopathy (usually abbreviated ND for "Not a Doctor", or less frequently NMD for "Not a Medical Doctor") is a title claimed by many practitioners of woo.

As awful as the idea is, there are actually 7 accredited institutions in North America that award this degree (as of 2012), 5 in the United States (Bastyr University, National College of Natural Medicine, National University of Health Sciences, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine) and 2 in Canada (Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine). For those who want a shorter route, it is also widely available from diploma mills.

Holders of this degree are likely to make obsessive use of the title "Dr." though they are not, in many jurisdictions, entitled to use this title.

These are not the doctors who don't tell you What Doctors Don't Tell You.

As of 2021, naturopathic physicians were regulated in several US jurisdictions: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington. Legislation is pending in several other jurisdictions. The practice of naturopathy is specifically banned in Tennessee and South Carolina.

Doctor of Chiropractic
The credential Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) is for those who practice chiropractic medicine. Training includes four years of schooling and a residency in a chiropractic field. These residencies include Chiropractic neurology, primary care, and nutrition. There are dangers of going to a chiropractor. Chiropractic is regulated by the American Chiropractic Association.

Chiropractic is regulated in all 50 US states and in 30 countries.

Homeopathy education
To clear the air, Homeopathy is no different from drinking a glass of water, that being said, there are institutions offering education in homeopathy. The number of accredited schools offering courses in homeopathy are slim in the US. Homeopathy classes are plentiful at schools such as Bastyr University in the United States. In India, homeopathy classes are extremely plentiful, because the government regulates homeopathy. There are entire medical schools in India devoted to homeopathy. Requirements for certificates in homeopathy vary in the US. An example of homeopathic education in the US (from the New Eden School of Natural Health & Herbal Studies) includes: anatomy and physiology, chemistry, natural health, Bach flower remedies, "cell salts homeopathic remedies" and business practices.

Alphabet soup
Below is a list of alternative medicine certifications, some are regulated but most are not. It is not unusual for alternative medicine practitioners to list several of these after their name in an attempt at credentialism. Being regulated (e.g., chiropractic in some jurisdictions) does not mean that the practice is evidence-based. Some of these fields straddle the border between evidence-based medicine and alternative medicine (e.g. osteopathy and massage). The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine basically encourages credentialism ("It is puzzling to see the number of certified NCCAOM Diplomates who do not list their national certification credentials."), suggesting that people include their highest academic degree as well as all of their state licenses and professional certificates. • 2