What’s the difference between a naturopath and a naturopathic doctor?
Posted May 9, 2014 7:48 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
PORT MOODY (NEWS1130) – It’s a minor distinction that could have a major impact on your health: An ND from Port Moody says confusion over the difference between “naturopaths” and “naturopathic doctors” needs to be cleared up.
What is the difference?
Dr. Sharon Gurm says a naturopathic doctor is licenced, while a naturopath doesn’t have to be licenced and could be anyone.
She says it’s important that you’re aware of the difference. “So the layperson can make a better decision about who it is that they’re seeing, for safety reasons and for obviously other reasons.”
“If you’re seeking someone for your health care, you want to make sure that you’re seeing someone who’s licenced,” she adds.
Gurm says the issue was discussed at an annual general meeting of the BC Naturopathic Association.
“We need to have better messaging and more awareness about this issue. And I think… for us as a profession… if there are any licenced naturopathic doctors in our profession who are using some of that terminology interchangeably, like calling themselves a naturopath versus a naturopathic doctor, there was the push to say ‘Look, let’s drop that terminology so that there isn’t confusion between licenced naturopathic doctors and naturopaths because it’s not a reserved title.”
She adds there some kind of campaign will be launched to make sure people know the difference.
