Naturopathic Doctors obtain comprehensive and rigorous training with educational standards comparable to conventional Medical Doctors. NDs are trained as General Practitioners and have at least 7 years of post-secondary education. NDs must attain a minimum of 3 years of premedical studies at a university, followed by 4 years of intensive training at an accredited Naturopathic medical school. Their education includes over 4200 hours of study in the basic medical sciences, clinical diagnostic and assessment skills, as well as the 6 major Naturopathic disciplines (clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, physical medicine, and lifestyle counseling), and 1500 hours of supervised clinical training.

 

Before becoming eligible to practice, NDs must undergo 4 demanding days of examinations to successfully pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination as well as the Provincial Board examinations. These are standardized examinations that determine professional competency.

 

In order to practice in Ontario, Naturopathic Doctors must be registered with The Board of Directors of Drugless Therapies - Naturopathy (BDDT-N) which was established in Ontario in 1925 under the Drugless Practitioner’s Act, regulation 278.