Article on NDs being compared to DOs...

[willen101383]

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I completely agree with that. It was your earlier quote I was disagreeing with ...

"NDs are natural healers and (supposedly) shun big pharma drugs. They should treat with herbs and teas, not morphine and pain killers. It's 100% against their entire mantra/philosophy ... hence, hypocritical"

Saying naturopaths are natural healers who shun big pharma is like saying osteopaths are bone fetishists who shun big pharma or allopaths are anti vaccination quacks who are in bed with big pharma. Sure there is the naturalistic aspect to the certified ND curriculum, just as there is OMM in the DO curriculum, but both professions have evolved to a point where they embrace pharma in some circumstances. Whether NDs are knowledgeable enough to safely prescribe drugs, I have no idea (and I assume they are not), but its not hypocritical. It's just an evolving philosophy.

I should clarify that I am referring to NDs graduating from accredited schools and programs, and not those quacks you see on Penn and Teller's Bull!@#$.

In SOME circumstances? Wait until you start school and see what a drug heavy curriculum you encounter. Outside of the OMM dept...I havent seen OMM advocated as a tx for anything. Thats how things are at my school. You can really tell OMM is fully on the back burner (not that I have a problem with this because I dont think I will use OMM in practice). Outside the OMM dept its NEVER even mentioned. Most modern DOs have abandoned their "anti drug" ways....well save for the diehard NMM specialists.

 

[OnTheOtherHand]

I think my point is that from what I've seen ... NDs haven't really evolved with any regard besides wanting more rights. They still express the 'all natural' philosophy, which can't still be said of modern DO schools. DO schools evolved to the point they are at because they saw what was effective, adjusted the education, and did what was best for patients.

NDs, from what I've seen, just want expansion ... and with this comes script rights, but I see no other 'evolution' within the curriculum whatsoever.

I get what you're saying, I just disagree that NDs have evolved in the same manner ... they just want more rights.

Yeah, NDs do cater to a population that is quite distrustful of real medicine. It doesn't seem like the curriculum is being changed at all. I mean, sure - the ND school in Portland is starting a research degree involving Natural Medicine - but these people don't want research. They want practitioners that will validate their paranoia about big pharma.

 

[InHIShand]

Well said! I see it everyday in the ED here, where they have opted to use NP's vs. PA's. Oregon is definitely a NP friendly state.

I completely agree with everything else you've said ... but don't give the NPs any sympathy. They believe you're an arrogant, money grubbing, over trained, bully and believe they can perform your job better than you without attending medical school or undergoing residency training. Don't be fooled.

 

[Dissected]

We had a naturopathic proponent (I can't remember if they were an ND or not) come in and lecture us on how terrible vaccines were and how they cause autism in our second week of classes. I was worried that our curriculum would be like that, but it just turned out to be an aberrant guest lecturer who wanted to make sure we knew how dangerous vaccines were...

I'll probably be treating her kids for pertussis in a few years

 

[OnTheOtherHand]

We had a naturopathic proponent (I can't remember if they were an ND or not) come in and lecture us on how terrible vaccines were and how they cause autism in our second week of classes. I was worried that our curriculum would be like that, but it just turned out to be an aberrant guest lecturer who wanted to make sure we knew how dangerous vaccines were...

I'll probably be treating her kids for pertussis in a few years

Yeah, I can't understand why people hold these beliefs that would put their children at risk. I hate the anti-vac people just like I hate Christian Scientists for their anti-health views that wind up killing their children.

 

[JaggerPlate]

We had a naturopathic proponent (I can't remember if they were an ND or not) come in and lecture us on how terrible vaccines were and how they cause autism in our second week of classes. I was worried that our curriculum would be like that, but it just turned out to be an aberrant guest lecturer who wanted to make sure we knew how dangerous vaccines were...

I'll probably be treating her kids for pertussis in a few years

I hope you complained so people like that aren't welcome to lecture to medical students at your school any time soon.

Ironically enough, our immunology professor dedicated a significant chunk of one lecture calmly and objectively explaining the anti-vaccine mentality and the consequences. It was funny to see how she essentially just proved them completely wrong and absurd using simple facts, statistics, and science.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Well said! I see it everyday in the ED here, where they have opted to use NP's vs. PA's. Oregon is definitely a NP friendly state.

That's a shame. When you finally hang a shingle, make sure to hire a PA 10 times out of 10.

 

[DD214_DOC]

There ARE some principles held by NDs that are good. Things like focusing on nutrition, rehab, massage, accupuncture, lifestyle modifications, etc. BEFORE presribing meds.

I don' think a focus on all the things patients never actually do is a good thing.

 

[InHIShand]

👍 Most definitely will. 😀

That's a shame. When you finally hang a shingle, make sure to hire a PA 10 times out of 10.