Canadian Council of Naturopathic
Examiners
(CCNE)
Details on the education and examination requirements for naturopathic doctors
and reasons why naturopathic medicine can play a vital role in the healthcare
system.
Interest in alternative medicine has grown significantly over the last decade,
creating a demand for alternative practitioners. Three elements must be present
to ensure that these healthcare professionals do not pose a threat to public
health:
1.
|
Practitioners must be educated at medical colleges that have been accredited
by an agency recognized by the
Alternative Medicine Examiners
Council of Canada (AMECC);
|
2.
|
Practitioners must be examined by a national examining board that sets high
standards for eligibility and provides standardized test administration;
board examinations must be developed in accordance with national testing
standards; and
|
3.
|
Practitioners must be licensed, required to take continuing education, and
subject to peer review.
|
One naturopathic medical college in Canada is currently accredited by the
Canadian Council of Naturopathic
Examiners (CCNE).
The CCNE is the only naturopathic accrediting body recognized by the
Alternative
Medecine Examiners Council of Canada (AMECC).
The education of naturopathic doctors (NDs) follows
a path similar to that of medical doctors (MDs). Applicants enter naturopathic
medical school after receiving a baccalaureate degree (usually pre-med) from a
four-year college. Students complete two years of post-graduate basic science
coursework then have two to three years of didactic and clinical training,
including time spent in supervised patient care.
The Canadian Council of Naturopathic Examiners (CCNE) uses the CCNEX to examine
all naturopathic physicians who want to be licensed in provinces that license
NDs. The Canadian Council of Naturopathic
Examiners (CCNEX) are criterion-referenced examinations. Five Part I - Basic
Science Examinations cover anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology,
immunology, and pathology. The Part I Examinations are taken after the second
year of training. Eleven Part II - Clinical Science Examinations cover
diagnosis using physical examination and lab testing, emergency and medical
procedures, as well as naturopathic treatment modalities (botanical medicine,
homeopathy, clinical nutrition, physical medicine, counseling & health
psychology). The CCNEX examinations are developed according to all the
guidelines set forth in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.
After graduation from the accredited naturopathic medical college and passage of
Part II - Clinical Science Examinations, candidates apply to one of the
jurisdictions that have laws that enable licensed naturopathic physicians to
serve their communities as providers of primary care medicine in Canada.
Licensed NDs are required to obtain continuing
education and are subject to peer review.
Naturopathic medicine can play a vital, cost-effective role in the healthcare
system:
1.
|
Naturopathic physicians are primary care providers who treat patients for a
variety of conditions, using therapies that are non-invasive, safe, and
effective. More patients are demanding these kinds of treatment options,
and the cost of naturopathic care is minimal when compared to the
skyrocketing costs of drugs.
|
|
|
2.
|
Because naturopathic medicine places significant emphasis on prevention (not
merely on screening for pre-existing conditions), it can help stem the
increasing incidence of chronic disease. For a small expenditure now,
significant costs can be prevented later.
|
|
|
3.
|
Naturopathic medicine provides vital adjunctive care when a patient is being
treated by a medical doctor for a serious condition. For example,
naturopathic medicine can help alleviate the severe side effects of
chemotherapy and can provide support for better healing. A study done
recently showed that this valuable care accounts for only 2% of the cost of
cancer treatment.
|
|
|
4.
|
NDs
can meet the growing shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas.
Efforts are under way to allow naturopathic doctors to be granted the same
kinds of loan repayment options to encourage participation in rural,
veteran’s, and Indian health programs that are available for MDs,
DOs, DCs, and other
eligible providers.
|
|
|
5.
|
A patient who is rushed through appointments and feels that her/his doctor
does not listen is more likely to file a lawsuit in the case of a mistake
than is a patient who feels a respectful partnership with her/his
physician. NDs spend a great deal of time
listening to their patients, attending to their emotional, mental, and
spiritual needs as well as to their physical symptoms. Cases of malpractice
are extremely rare in the naturopathic profession.
|
NATUROPATHIC ORGANIZATION WEBSITES
Alternative Medicine Examiners Council
of Canada (AMECC)
Naturopathic Medicine Council of
Canada (NMCC)
Conseil des Examinateurs en Naturopathie du Québec
(CENQ)
Collège de Naturopathie du Québec a
Montreal (CNQM)
Le Syndicat Professionnel des Naturopathes du
Québec (SPNQ)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
During the first 2 ½ - 3 years of medical school, the education of naturopathic
doctors (NDs) follows a path similar to that of
medical doctors (MDs). Students in both allopathic and naturopathic medical
colleges receive extensive training in the biomedical sciences, and in physical,
clinical, and lab diagnosis. Both receive training in emergency procedures,
public health, and principles of pharmacology. The naturopathic colleges use
standard medical texts for this phase of the training. The paths of
naturopathic medical education and allopathic medical education diverge after
this point. MDs learn how to prescribe drugs and perform or refer for surgery.
NDs learn how to use herbs, clinical nutrition,
physical medicine (e.g., hydrotherapy, soft tissue massage, osseous
manipulation, etc.), homeopathy, and mind-body medicine.
Four keys differences distinguish the naturopathic approach from the approach
used by allopathic doctors (MDs):
·
|
Emphasis on prevention
|
|
·
|
Search for and treatment of the cause of illness (as compared to an approach
that treats the symptoms of the illness)
|
|
·
|
Individualized treatment (e.g. two patients being treated for the same
pathology may have completely different treatment protocols)
|
|
·
|
A goal of removing obstacles to the body’s own innate healing processes (as
compared to the idea that “cure” must come from external sources)
|
|
|
Naturopathic License
Requirements |
|
|
|
Naturopathic Doctor: Initial License
Requirements
Submit a
naturopathic license application & pay the required license fee;
Possess a
good moral and professional reputation;
Be
physically and mentally fit to practice naturopathic medicine;
Graduate
from a naturopathic medical college that is accredited by the Council or
another such accrediting agency recognized by the federal government; or
graduate from a foreign country naturopathic medical college that
possesses equivalent qualifications; and
Successfully complete the
Canadian Council of Naturopathic Examiners (CCNE)
examinations.
|
|
|
|
|
The
Naturopathic Medicine Council of Canada (NMCC)'s
mission is to ensure the high quality of naturopathic medical education in
Canada through the voluntary accreditation of four-year, graduate-level programs
in naturopathic medicine. Students and graduates of programs accredited or
pre-accredited (candidacy) by NMCC are eligible to apply for the naturopathic
licensing examinations administered by the Canadian Council of Naturopathic
Examiners (CCNE).
Founded in 1991, CCNE is accepted as the programmatic
accrediting agency for naturopathic medical education by the naturopathic
colleges and programs in Canada, by the Canadian national naturopathic
professional syndicates, and by NMCC. CCNE advocates for high standards in
naturopathic education, and its grant of accreditation to a college or program
indicates prospective students and the public may have confidence in the college
or program. The CCNE is the national accrediting agency for programs leading to
the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (N.D. or N.M.D.) or Doctor of Naturopathy
(N.D.) degree.
An accreditation handbook, containing CCNE standards,
policies, procedures, and governing documents, is available for $20, prepaid. A
free PDF version is available by e-mail upon request. The PDF file may be
opened and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free download.
CCNE also certifies postdoctoral programs in naturopathic
medicine. Among these programs are naturopathic residencies that provide
licensed naturopathic physicians with postgraduate training in naturopathic
family care and other specialties. A manual containing
CCNE's standards for residency programs may be ordered for $15, prepaid.
A free PDF version is available by e-mail.
CCNE is a member of the
Alternative Medicine Examiners Council
of Canada (AMECC) and abides by the CPMDQ
Code of Good Practice.
The accredited and candidate naturopathic medicine
programs, as well as the certified residency programs, are listed on the links
page. After accessing the links page, click the name of the program or its logo
to go to the Website for the college or university that offers the program.
For frequently asked questions, click "FAQs"
on the menu.
CCNEs
next meeting will be held April 9& 10, 2005, Montreal, Québec, Canada.
1. Can you compare the
colleges? Which one is best? |
We treat as confidential the
information we receive from naturopathic medicine programs. All accredited
programs have our recommendation, but we do not rank them. Each
naturopathic college has unique qualities. We encourage prospective
students to visit the campuses and to participate in the schools'
student-for-a-day programs. |
2. Does CCNE recognize
home-study schools or external-degree programs? |
Many correspondence schools offer
N.D. or N.M.D degrees or diplomas. Some are exempt from state regulations
because they claim a religious purpose or they do not recruit students
from their home states. Not all correspondence programs prepare students
for practice as licensed naturopathic physicians, not all programs are
eligible for affiliation with our agency. It is not illegal for those who
obtain N.D. or N.M.D. degrees from correspondence schools to use the
initials after their names; they may not, however, legally represent
themselves as physicians or engage in the practice of medicine unless they
are otherwise licensed as medical practitioners. Although correspondence
courses can be effective in many disciplines, naturopathic licensing
agencies believe they are only partly effective in many disciplines of
Naturopathy for preparing students as physicians. The
Naturopathic Medicine Council of
Canada (NMCC)
and the
Alternative Medicine Examiners
Council of Canada (AMECC)
consider those who obtain N.D. or N.M.D. degrees
from correspondence schools to be part of the naturopathic medical
profession providing the candidate passes the
CCNEX exams in person. Many
disciplines of naturopathy may not be taken by
correspondence, such as; osteopathy, massage
therapy, ect…Others may be , but all
examinations are in person , supervised by
The Canadian Council of
Naturopathic Examiners (CCNE) and follow the norms of the CCNE. Make sure
the naturopathic program you which to follow is accredited by the CCNE.
|
3. Is there a difference
between the N.D. and the N.M.D. degree? |
Universities and colleges may
choose to call the naturopathic degree they confer either the "Doctor of
Naturopathy" or the "Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine" degree. These are
two different names for the same degree. By either name, the degree is
usually abbreviated "N.D.," but an institution that refers to its
naturopathic credential as the "Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine" degree
may abbreviate it either "N.D." or "N.M.D." Presently, all colleges and
universities with accredited or candidate naturopathic medicine programs
confer the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree or, in Canada, the
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine diploma. In all provinces that regulate
naturopathic medicine, naturopathic physicians use the N.D. initials after
their names. In Arizona, they may use either the N.D. or N.M.D. initials;
the different sets of initials do not indicate a difference in scope of
practice, but only a preference by the individual physicians. The N.D.
initials are the ones more widely associated with the naturopathic medical
profession and are the only ones used in the corporate seals of both the
Naturopathic Medicine Council of Canada (NMCC)
and the Canadian Council of
Naturopathic Examiners. |
4. What does "candidate for
accreditation" mean? |
Candidacy is a status of
affiliation with us that indicates a naturopathic medicine program
satisfies our agency's eligibility requirements — e.g., that it is
properly organized, is adequately supported financially, has good
facilities and a qualified faculty, offers an appropriate curriculum, and
accurately represents itself to prospective students. Candidacy, however,
is not accreditation and does not ensure eventual accreditation. We grant
candidacy when a program meets our eligibility requirements, complies with
our standards to the degree expected for its stage of development, and is
progressing toward accreditation. If it does not achieve accreditation
within five years, the program loses affiliation with us for at least one
year and until deficiencies are corrected. A new program may apply for
candidacy at any time, but CCNE will not grant candidacy until after at
least its first academic year with students enrolled full time. A
naturopathic medicine program may not be accredited until it has graduated
its first class. Students and graduates of candidate programs
are eligible to apply for the
Naturopathic Medicine Council of
Canada (NMCC)
licensing examinations, administered
by the Canadian
Council of Naturopathic Examiners CCNE’s
branch of each province. |
5. What criteria does CCNE use
in evaluating naturopathic medicine programs? |
The evaluation process involves a
comprehensive self-study by the program, periodic visits to the campus by
CCNE teams, and ongoing monitoring. Evaluation teams have three or more
trained members, with at least one a practicing naturopathic physician,
another a member of the Council, and another not affiliated with the
naturopathic profession, its colleges, or CCNE. Our Handbook of
Accreditation for Naturopathic Medicine Programs , contains our
objectives, eligibility requirements, standards, policies, procedures,
Articles of Incorporation, and Bylaws. The handbook is available for
on-site review and photocopying (no permission needed) at the library or
an administrative office of each program affiliated with us, or it may be
ordered for $20, prepaid: free by e-mail upon request. |
6. Where may
N.D.,’s practice? |
Four provinces allow the practice
of naturopathic medicine: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Oregon,
Saskatchewan, have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors. The scope of
practice varies from province to province. In provinces without
naturopathic licensing laws, many who hold the N.D. degree also hold other
degrees, such as the Doctor of Osteopathy, Doctor of Chiropractic, or
Masters in Oriental Medicine degree, and they practice under licenses for
those professions. Others offer services that do not violate their
provinces medical practice acts. Most naturopathic physicians are not in
the provinces that regulate the profession. |
7. How is CCNE organized? |
CCNE was incorporated in August
1991 under the Nonprofit Corporation Act and is recognized by the Canadian
Internal Revenue Service as a Professional syndicate nonprofit
organization. Board members are elected by the board itself, who are also
the organization's only voting members. Presently, two of
CCNE's eleven board members are public
members; a public member is not affiliated in any way with the
naturopathic profession. The board has three positions for institutional
member representatives, who are elected rotationally for three-year terms
from among administrators and faculty members at the five accredited and
candidate naturopathic medicine programs. Our Articles of Incorporation
also require from four to six profession members, who must be licensed
naturopathic physicians. Six profession members currently serve on the
board. |
8. How does someone start a new
naturopathic college? |
To site a new naturopathic program
within an existing college or university is preferable to beginning a
freestanding naturopathic medical college, unless the organizing group has
the necessary assets and extensive experience in higher education
administration. CCNE can refer organizations with the potential for
developing a new program to consultants. Any new program, to qualify for
accreditation, would likely need to be in a state or province that
licenses naturopathic physicians, because students do their clinical
training primarily under practicing naturopathic physicians. Additionally,
provincial authorities probably would not approve a college's request to
grant the N.D. degree in a province that does not allow the practice of
naturopathic medicine. |
09. May I be licensed in the
Canada if I attend an overseas naturopathic college? |
Because no international standards
for naturopathic education exist other than in Canada, students who
graduate from naturopathic colleges in other countries are not eligible to
apply for the Canadian
Council of Naturopathic Examiners CCNE,
examinations. The exams are administered twice a year at the provincial
level by the branch of it’s Province. Students who attend an overseas
school may have some course credits accepted for transfer to a Canadian
school if the foreign school is a graduate-level institution and
governmentally recognized. If you plan to spend the first year or two of
naturopathic studies at a foreign school, you should first check with one
of the Canadian naturopathic colleges to learn if any credits may be
transferred later. |
10. May I be licensed in the
United States if I attend naturopathic college in Canada, and vice versa? |
If you graduate from a CCNE-recognized
college in Canada, some states will accept your licensing application, but
several will not. This is because private colleges in Canada do not all
confer degrees but "diplomas," e.g., the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
diploma. Quebec is the only province which confers the degree of Doctor
of Naturopathy, N.D., which is a first cycle Doctorate "degree." Some
state laws have language that specifically requires an N.D. "degree."
U.S. students who plan to attend naturopathic college in Canada should
first check with the naturopathic licensing agencies in the states where
they will practice to make sure they can apply for a license with a
Canadian diploma. |
11. What is the difference
between CCNE and the other organizations that accredit naturopathic
programs? |
CCNE is the organization that
accredits programs which prepare students to become licensed naturopathic
physicians. It is the accrediting agency accepted by the Canadian
professional associations for licensed naturopathic doctors, and it is the
agency recognized by the
Naturopathic Medicine Council of Canada (NMCC).
CCNE is also the only naturopathic accreditor
with membership in the
Alternative Medicine Examiners
Council of Canada (AMECC).
Other naturopathic accrediting agencies accredit
schools that do not prepare students to practice as licensed naturopathic
physicians. None is recognized by the AMECC, and none of the schools or
programs they accredit has institutional accreditation from a recognized
regional accrediting agency. Comparing the published standards, policies,
procedures, and bylaws of accrediting agencies is one way to determine
their differences. For CCNE, these documents are in its Handbook.
|
