Appendix 1
DESCRIPTION OF HOLISTIC PRACTITIONERS
The following pages provide a brief description of the five types of primary care physicians—N.D., D.C., D.O., M.D., and D.D.S.—and the chief acupuncture practitioners (L.Ac.) licensed in the United States. However, every doctor and practitioner is unique, so healing techniques and philosophies within each profession can vary widely. Thus, the summary description of each profession is a general characterization of the majority—but not all—of the doctors and practitioners in each group.
NATUROPATHIC DOCTORS (N.D.)
The Consummate Holistic Physicians
More than any other practitioner, N.D.s are taught and practice the widest range of holistic therapies in natural medicine. Naturopathic doctors are the only physicians who are taught homeopathy and botanical (herbal) medicine as part of their college curriculum. Furthermore, they receive more hours in nutrition than any other practitioner.
FINDING A “HOMEOPATHIC DOCTOR”
Individuals often ask where they can find a “homeopathic doctor.” The answer to this question is threefold: First, as was discussed in chapter 14, because all homeopathic colleges were closed down in the early and mid-twentieth century through the successful efforts of the American Medical Association, there are no “Doctors of Homeopathy” licensed in this country anymore. Second, since naturopaths are the only healthcare professionals who are taught homeopathy in their medical school curriculum, naturopathic physicians (who specialize in homeopathy) come closest to fulfilling this former “Doctor of Homeopathy” role. (There is, however, a homeopathic college opening in Arizona. Go to www.amcofh.org for more information.) And third, naturopaths as well as other physicians (D.C.s, D.O.s, M.D.s, and D.D.S.s), practitioners (L.Ac.s), and many talented laypeople study homeopathy in courses and seminars offered after graduation and can become certified in homeopathy through various postgraduate groups and institutions. As discussed in chapter 14, I strongly recommend doctors and practitioners who have studied and are proficient in the new and revolutionary work of Dr. Rajan Sankaran and his Mumbai, India, colleagues, because it is the most accurate means of determining the deepest constitutional homeopathic remedy.
Naturopathic Medical Education
Like other doctors, naturopaths must satisfy premed science requirements in their undergraduate education, before admission into a naturopathic medical school. Students then attend a four-year naturopathic college or university where the curriculum includes basic science courses (anatomy with human dissection, pathology, biochemistry, immunology, histology, etc.), as well as comprehensive training in natural therapies (botanical medicine, homeopathy, therapeutic nutrition, counseling, manipulation, hydrotherapy, environmental medicine, physical therapy, natural childbirth, etc.), physical and clinical diagnosis, pharmacology, clinical ecology, and minor surgery (suturing, wound infection and burn management, use of local anesthetics, etc.). Like other doctors, naturopathic students also receive extensive clinical experience and training through treating patients under the supervision of naturopathic physicians in their college clinics, as well as in preceptorship programs while interning with naturopathic physicians in their private clinics.
EDUCATIONAL COMPARISON OF THE SIX MAJOR HEALING PROFESSIONS
Currently, there are six fully accredited naturopathic medical schools in North America: Bastyr University (Kenmore, WA), Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine (New Westminster, BC), Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (Ontario, Canada), National College of Natural Medicine (Portland, OR), Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (Tempe, AZ), and the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine (Bridgeport, CT). The National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, IL, was granted candidacy status from the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) in 2008. Also, Bastyr University is in the process of establishing a campus in California, scheduled to open in 2011. After graduation, N.D.s must pass national boards recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (NPLEX Parts I and II) in order to be licensed to practice naturopathic medicine.
Licensing
Due to the successful lobbying efforts of competing professions (primarily M.D.s), naturopathic doctors are currently licensed to practice in only fifteen states—Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
“Doctors” as Compared to “Practitioners”
Some schools and institutes offer very brief or even mailorder programs that allow their graduates to use “N.D.” after their name. This practice is understandably disturbing to the N.D.s who have satisfied premed undergraduate requirements, graduated from four-year fully accredited naturopathic medical schools, and passed national boards recognized by the U.S. government. Furthermore, it is extremely confusing to the general public.
Until this practice is changed, naturopathic doctors might want to utilize in smaller subscript the particular naturopathic medical school that they have graduated from after their “N.D.” title.I Thus, patients who are seeking a naturopathic physicianII would look for the following after their prospective doctor’s name:
John Doe, N.D.Bastyr
Jane Doe, N.D.Boucher
John Doe, N.D.CCNM
Jane Doe, N.D.NCNM
John Doe, N.D.SWCNM
Jane Doe, N.D.UBCNM
This in no way would limit the practice of those individuals graduated from mail-order or brief programs, but it would simply clearly differentiate between naturopathic practitioners, or perhaps counselors or educators, and naturopathic doctors or physicians.III Hopefully, through these more descriptive “N.D.” appellations, the public can make a more informed choice when determining its healthcare providers.
To locate a naturopathic physician or find more information on naturopathic medicine, contact:
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)
3201 New Mexico Avenue NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20016
phone (866) 538-2267 or (202) 895-1392
or fax (202) 274-1992
CHIROPRACTIC DOCTORS (D.C.)
Musculoskeletal Experts and Master Energetic Testers
D.C.s are well known for being the most knowledgeable primary care physiciansIV for the treatment of muscle and joint pain and dysfunction. This recognition is well deserved, because chiropractic colleges require more hours in neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment than any other programs. In addition, chiropractic physicians receive extensive training in clinical nutrition—both in the classroom and in their college outpatient clinics.
Many D.C.s facilitate their standard diagnostic assessment methods (history, exam, laboratory, and X-ray findings) with energetic testing techniques. Although not all D.C.s use a form of energetic testing, as a group they have a much larger number of practitioners who specialize in this esoteric diagnostic skill than any of the other healing professions. Many use kinesiology techniques such as Applied Kinesiology (AK), Clinical Kinesiology (CK), Autonomic Response Testing (ART), and so forth. However, several arm- and leg-length measurement indicator methods are also widely utilized, including the Matrix Reflex Testing technique (MRT), Directional Non-Force Technique (DNFT), Derifield, Activator Technique, and others. Finally, some D.C.s—as well as a number of other holistic practitioners—use electroacupuncture techniques that originated in Germany with Dr. Voll and Dr. Vega. Chiropractors who use energetic testing not only study these methods during college but also train in postgraduate courses extensively, continually learning and improving their technique throughout their professional lives. As discussed throughout Radical Medicine, effective energetic testing techniques allow practitioners to more precisely determine the cause of a particular dysfunction or illness, as well as to assess the most appropriate treatments. (For more information on energetic testing, see appendix 3, “Energetic Testing Explained.”)
Chiropractic Education
Like other doctors, chiropractors must satisfy premed science requirements in their undergraduate education. They then attend four-year postgraduate chiropractic colleges whose curriculum is composed of basic and clinical sciences including anatomy with human dissection, neurophysiology, radiology, histology, cellular physiology, immunology, pathology, clinical psychology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and so forth. Additionally, D.C.s receive over 550 hours in spinal analysis and adjusting techniques, as well as extensive training in differential diagnosis that greatly augments their clinical expertise in distinguishing between somatovisceral (primary musculoskeletal dysfunction that secondarily adversely affects an organ) and viscerosomatic (primary organ dysfunction that secondarily adversely affects the muscles and joints) relationships, as discussed in part 6. Chiropractic students also gain valuable clinical experience and training through treating patients under the supervision of chiropractic physicians in their college clinics, as well as in preceptorship programs with chiropractic physicians in their private clinics.
Currently, there are seventeen fully accredited chiropractic colleges in North America. Go to www.cce-usa.org for their names and locations, or call the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) at (480) 443-8877.
After graduation, D.C.s must pass national board exams recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (NBCE Parts I, II, III, IV, and PT) to be licensed to practice chiropractic.
Licensing
Chiropractic doctors are licensed to practice in all fifty states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (as well as in other parts of the world).
To locate a chiropractic physician, or to find out more information about the chiropractic profession, contact:
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA)
1701 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 phone (703) 243-2593 or fax (703) 276-8800 memberinfo@acatoday.org www.acatoday.org
OSTEOPATHIC DOCTORS (D.O.) Master Allopaths and Some
Musculoskeletal Experts
As was discussed in part 6, due to considerable harassment and persecution in the early and mid-twentieth century from the allopathic medical profession, osteopathic colleges reduced much of their emphasis on manual manipulation in order to survive as a profession. However, over the last few decades with the rise of holistic medicine, the number of osteopaths practicing spinal manipulation and craniosacral therapy has been increasing. Therefore, newer graduates—as well as older D.O.s who attended osteopathic college in the mid-twentieth century when spinal manipulation was more respected as a healing art—are more likely to utilize these hands-on healing approaches.
In most cases, however, the majority of osteopaths currently practice almost identically to M.D.s, primarily utilizing the allopathic tools of prescription drugs and surgery as their basic healing modalities.
Osteopathic Medical Education
Much like other physicians, osteopaths must satisfy premed admission requirements before attending four-year osteopathic medical colleges and universities. And like other physicians, an osteopath’s medical education includes the basic and clinical sciences (anatomy with human dissection, pathology, histology, radiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physical and clinical diagnosis, etc.), as well as extensive hands-on training through treating patients under the supervision of osteopathic physicians in osteopathic college clinics and hospitals.
Additionally, in the curriculum of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine—the original osteopathic school (founded by A. T. Still)—students currently receive 196 hours in osteopathic theory and methods (including manual manipulation), as well as four weeks of clinical rotation on this subject during their last two years. One course in craniosacral manipulation is offered as an elective.
Currently, there are twenty-six fully accredited osteopathic colleges in thirty-four locations in the United States. Go to www.aacom.org to view a list of these colleges.
After graduation, osteopaths must pass national boards recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (NBOME Parts I, II, and III) in order to be licensed to practice osteopathic medicine.
D.O.s, like M.D.s, can practice as general practitioners at this point, or they can go on to specialize in a particular field (e.g., dermatology, gynecology, neurology, etc.), generally through a three-yearV postgraduate residency program.
Licensing
Osteopathic physicians are licensed to practice in all fifty states (as well as in other parts of the world).
To locate an osteopathic physician, or to find more information about the osteopathic profession, contact:
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
142 East Ontario, Chicago, IL 60611-2864
phone (800) 621-1773 info@osteopathic.org
To locate an osteopathic physician who utilizes craniosacral manipulation, go to www.cranialacademy.org
MEDICAL DOCTORS (M.D.)
Master Allopaths and Some Holistic Physicians
Due to the major influence pharmaceutical companies have had on modern medical teaching, medical schools have offered no courses in botanical (herbal) medicine or homeopathy and have averaged only two hours of course work in nutrition throughout most of the twentieth century.1 Based on this strong allopathic orientation, the vast majority of medical doctors utilize two major methods of healing—prescription drugs and surgery. However, due to the increasing popularity of alternative medicine in the past few decades, some M.D.s have endeavored to remedy their lack of holistic medical training by taking postgraduate seminars after their medical school education. These courageous few—often attacked by their allopathic colleagues and state boards—are fortunately growing in number. Additionally, a number of medical schools are now offering nutrition, botanical medicine, massage, and acupuncture both online and residentially in integrative medicine programs designed to be complementary to mainstream medical care.VI
NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION
Currently, only 30 percent of medical schools have a required nutrition course, and 25 percent of schools do not require or could not quantify nutritional education in their programs. This has been the case for decades at even the best institutions, as exemplified by Andrew Weil’s disclosure during a Larry King interview that at Harvard he received only about thirty minutes of training in nutrition! Even in the 1990s, according to a National Academy of Sciences study, two-thirds of medical schools still offered no required nutrition courses, and the typical graduating M.D. had an average of only about twenty classroom hours in nutrition. Compare this to N.D.s, who receive approximately 200 hours of classroom training in clinical nutrition, and another 1,200 hours in clinical education in which nutritional therapy is an important diagnostic consideration in treatment.2 Recently, however, due to the rising influence of natural medicine and the efforts of holistic physicians such as Dr. Weil, more colleges have begun to offer hours in nutrition (through either elective or required courses) during the four-year medical school curriculum. Additionally, since one of the chief barriers to incorporating nutrition into medical schools is that often no faculty members are specifically trained in clinical nutrition, home study through computer technology is being proposed at many colleges.3
Medical School Education
As with the other physicians described in this section, prospective medical students must satisfy premed requirements in undergraduate colleges and universities, before being accepted into four-year medical schools. An M.D.’s education is similar to that of other physicians and includes the basic and clinical sciences (anatomy with human dissection, pathology, histology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physical and clinical diagnosis, etc.), as well as extensive clinical training through treating patients under the supervision of medical doctors in medical school clinics and hospitals.
There are numerous fully accredited medical schools in the United States. Contact the specific college or university you are interested in to find out more information.
After graduation, M.D.s must pass national boards recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USMLE Parts I and II) to be licensed to practice medicine.
M.D.s may then work as general practitioners or go on to specialize in a particular field (e.g., pediatrics, psychiatry, orthopedics, etc.), generally through a three-yearVII postgraduate residency program.
Licensing
Medical doctors are licensed to practice in all fifty states (and every other country in the world).
To locate a medical doctor or to find more information on the medical profession, contact:
The American Medical Association (AMA)
515 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60610
phone (312) 464-5000
To locate an M.D. utilizing a more holistic approach, contact:
American Holistic Medicine Association (AHMA)
DOCTORS OF DENTAL SURGERY (D.D.S.)
Holistic and Nonholistic Dentists
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Presently, three types of dental physicians exist in the world: the good—those who keep abreast of the current research that incontrovertibly proves the toxic and debilitating effects of mercury amalgam fillings and therefore no longer use it; the bad—those who don’t keep up with the current research or continue to believe the American Dental Association’s (ADA) unscientific stance that mercury is stable and nontoxic once it is placed in the mouth;VIII and the ugly—those dentists who are aware of the current research and yet continue (out of fear of reprisal from the ADA or just a general lack of caring) to place it in their patients’ mouths.
Furthermore, because the curriculum at dental schools is still guided by the ADA’s untenable stance on mercury, the majority of newly graduated dentists continue to use mercury amalgam fillings, as they were trained in college.IX And, although some are aware of the amalgam controversy, very few are cognizant of the toxic potentiating effects of dental galvanism, when gold or other metal crowns are placed on or next to amalgam fillings.
Similar to holistic M.D.s, holistic or “biological” dentists are frequently attacked by their nonholistic colleagues and state boards and risk losing their license and even their livelihood, simply for practicing based on the prevailing scientific evidence on the toxicity of mercury amalgam, as well as their own courage and integrity. Fortunately, a growing percentage of dentists are becoming educated about nontoxic dentistry through postgraduate courses sponsored by holistic dental associations. At these biological dental association meetings, dentists can learn about the most cutting-edge and nontoxic methods of replacing amalgam fillings and the devastating effects of dental galvanism (chapter 3), be trained in the diagnosis of dental focal infections and their removal through appropriate cavitation surgery techniques (chapter 11), and study the most effective treatments for malocclusions and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (chapter 16).X
Dental Schools
Like other physicians, prospective dental students must satisfy basic science or premed requirements in undergraduate colleges and universities before being accepted into four-year dental schools. Furthermore, similar to other doctors, a dentist’s education includes the basic and clinical sciences (anatomy with human dissection,XI pathology, histology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physical and clinical diagnosis, etc.), as well as extensive clinical training through treating patients (fillings, crowns, surgery, etc.) under the supervision of dental physicians in dental school clinics.
There are numerous dental schools in the United States and Canada. Contact the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) at (202) 289-7201 or go to www.adea.org for a list of fully accredited colleges.
After graduation, dentists must pass written national boards (JCNDE) recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and clinical exams given in the state in which they are planning to practice (AAOD) to be licensed to practice dentistry.
Dentists may then work as general practitioners or specialize in a particular field (e.g., oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatrics, periodontology, etc.) through continuing their training in two- to six-year postgraduate residency programs.
Licensing
Dentists are licensed to practice in all fifty states and throughout the world.
To locate a conventional dentist or find out more information about the dental profession, contact:
The American Dental Association (ADA)
1111 14th Street NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005
phone (202) 898-2400 or fax (202) 898-2437
To locate a holistic dentist, contact one of the three major biological dental associations in the U.S.:
Holistic Dental Association
P.O. Box 151444, San Diego, CA 92175
phone (619) 923-3120 or fax (619) 615-2228
info@holisticdental.org
International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine (IABDM)
17222 Red Oak Drive, Suite 101, Houston, TX 77090
phone (281) 651-1745 or fax (281) 440-1258
drdawn@drdawn.net
International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT)
8297 Champions Gate Blvd., Suite 193, Champions Gate, FL 33896
phone (863) 420-6373 or fax (863) 419-8136
info@iaomt.org
The holistic organization dedicated to informing patients about toxic versus nontoxic dentistry, DAMS, is also an excellent resource:
Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions
1043 Grand Ave., #317, St. Paul, MN
55105 phone: (800) 311-6265 or (651) 644-4572
dams@unsfamily.net
ACUPUNCTURISTS (L.Ac.) Chinese Medicine Experts
Acupuncture practitioners learn and practice all aspects of Chinese medicine but are most well known for treating acupuncture points with needles and prescribing Chinese herbal medicines. In the past few decades, scientific studies have proven what acupuncturists have known for millennia—that Chinese medicine can be effective in the treatment of all types of disease and dysfunction. Chinese medicine, and Ayurvedic medicine from India can be considered the two original systems of holistic medicine because they both view patients’ symptoms in relationship to their whole body functioning, and furthermore, they use natural nonsynthetic medicines and healing techniques.
Acupuncture Education
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine colleges require a minimum of two years in undergraduate school before admission into their three-year program. An acupuncturist’s education consists of studying Western medicine (anatomy and physiology, biology, pathophysiology, etc.) as well as Chinese medicine (Oriental medicine diagnosis, five-element diagnosis, acupuncture meridians, Chinese herbal medicines, Qigong energetics, etc.). Additionally, students receive supervised clinical instruction in needling techniques, using moxibustion, prescribing Chinese herbs, and so forth, in their college clinics and in preceptorship programs with licensed acupuncture practitioners.
After graduation, acupuncturists must pass national board exams (NCCAOM) to be licensed to practice Chinese medicine.
Licensing
Currently, acupuncturists are licensed in thirty-nine states.
To locate a licensed acupuncturist or to find more information about acupuncture and Oriental medicine, contact:
American Association of Acupuncture and
Oriental Medicine (AAAOM)
P.O. Box 162340, Sacramento, CA 95816
phone (866) 455-7999 or (916) 443-4770
info@aaaomonline.org
NOTES
1. J. Robbins, Reclaiming Our Health (Tiburon, Calif.: H. J. Kramer, 1998), 3–4.
2. P. Bergner, “Nutrition Education in US Medical Schools,” The Naturopathic Physician, Fall 1992, 26–27.
3. K. Cooksey et al., “Getting Nutrition Education into Medical Schools: A Computer-Based Approach,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 72, no. 3 (September 2000): 868.