About Naturopathic Medicine

Competency Framework for the Practice of Naturopathic Medicine in Quebec

QANM members are trained Naturopathic Doctors and examined across core competency domains: biomedical sciences and diagnostics, clinical nutrition and lifestyle medicine, pharmacological interactions with natural substances, evidence-informed therapeutics, gentle therapies, and patient-centred case management.

years of post-secondary education

0 +

clinical training

0 h

supervised practice

0 h

NPLEX or OSCE

board examination

A Brief History of Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine’s founding principle vis medicatrix naturae, “the healing power of nature” traces back to Hippocrates, the Greek physician (c. 460–370 BCE) regarded as the father of Western medicine, who held that rest, diet, fresh air, and cleanliness support the body’s own capacity to heal.¹

The modern profession took shape in 19th-century Europe’s nature-cure movement, built on hydrotherapy and lifestyle-based healing popularized by practitioners such as Sebastian Kneipp. The term “naturopathy” was coined in 1895 by German physician John Scheel, and adopted in 1901 by Benedict Lust a German-trained hydrotherapist who brought the practice to the United States. Lust founded the American School of Naturopathy in New York, graduating its first class in 1902, and organized practitioners into the Naturopathic Society of America.²

Naturopathic practice was well established in Canada by 1920. Provincial regulation followed early in several jurisdictions: Ontario (1925), British Columbia (1936), Manitoba (1943), and Saskatchewan (1952). The Canadian Association of Naturopath (CAND) has represented the profession nationally since 1955.³

The profession lost ground through the mid-20th century as antibiotics, surgical advances, and the growth of the pharmaceutical industry shifted healthcare’s centre of gravity. Formal Canadian naturopathic education re-established itself in 1978 with the founding of the Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, which expanded to a full four-year doctoral program by 1983 and became the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in 1992. The Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine opened in British Columbia in 2000.⁴Over the past several decades, growing public interest in preventive, whole-person care has driven renewed demand for naturopathic services across North America the same demand QANM represents in Quebec today.

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What is CNME?

The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) is the recognized accrediting body for naturopathic medical education in North America. CNME accredits four-year,post-graduate, degree-granting programs

CNME-Accredited Schools

Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM)

Toronto, ON & New Westminster, BC · ccnm.edu

Bastyr University

Kenmore, WA & San Diego, CA · bastyr.edu

National University of Natural Medicine

Portland, OR · nunm.edu

National University of Health Sciences

Lombard (IL) · nuhs.edu

Sonoran University of Health Sciences

Tempe, AZ · sonoran.edu

Ana G. Méndez University

Gurabo, Puerto Rico · uagm.edu

Training Curriculum

Naturopathic education combines four years of biomedical and clinical science with training across natural therapeutic disciplines:

Clinical Nutrition

Diet and nutrient-balance protocols as part of the core curriculum.

Botanical Medicine

Pharmacology and clinical application of plant-based medicines.

Homeopathy

Theory and clinical training in homeopathic case-taking and prescribing.

Physical Medicine

Manual therapy training as part of the clinical practicum

Lifestyle Counselling

Behavioural-change methodology as a distinct training component.

Clinical & Lab Diagnosis

Physical exams, lab testing, and diagnostic imaging interpretation

Board Exams NPLEX and NABNE

NPLEX is administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). It consists of Part I (Biomedical Science) and Part II (Core Clinical Science), plus optional clinical elective exams. Registration is through nabne.org.

CANRA - the Canadian Alliance of Naturopathic Regulators Authorities

In 2023, CANRA has embarked on establishing a new National Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile which includes 22 key competencies and 62 enabling competencies in five domains: professionalism, communication, assessment and diagnosis, therapeutic management, and records management. As of April 2019, Ontario was the first province to begin a pilot-project adopting their own entry-to-practice examinations and Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition (PLAR) to include qualified professionals who successfully meet and pass the criteria for entry into the profession.This entry-to-practice examination has replaced NPLEX in Ontario.

Canadian Associations

Provincial Associations

National Professional Associations

Naturopathic Medical Education Accreditation

Canadian Regulatory Authorities

Canadian Associations

Provincial Associations

Ontario Association of Naturopath
Alberta Association of Naturopath
British Columbia Naturopathic Association
Manitoba Naturopathic Association
New Brunswick Association of Naturopath
Nova Scotia Association of Naturopath
PEI Association of Naturopath
Saskatchewan Association of Naturopathic Practitioners
NorthWest Territories Association of Naturopath
Yukon Association of Naturopath

National Associations

Education Accreditation Agency (USA)

Canadian Regulatory Authorities

College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC)

College of Naturopath of Alberta (CNDA)

Saskatchewan Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (SANP)

Manitoba Naturopathic Association (MNA)

College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CONO)

Northwest Territories Naturopathic Practitioners (NTNP)

Quebec Note

No CNME-accredited program currently exists in Quebec. QANM supports the development of a French-language naturopathic medical program and to assist in setting the standard for educational and entry-to-practice standards.