Arizona naturopaths have the most rights in any state in the US, where they can work as PCPs. However, they are working to expand their rights in other states as well. Although currently they work in capacities similar to PCPs, they are working to be a part of other specialties as well. Currently naturopaths are not required to do residencies, as there are very few 1-2 year residencies available - so it is optional at this time. However, I previously posted this... that they are planning to make residencies in other areas, such as dermatology, oncology, and pediatrics - since many people are looking for natural medicine specialists in these fields.
How do I know this? Because at one time I was considering naturopathic school, and this is what we were told at interview day orientation when the school admissions office was telling students about future job prospects. I probably would have gone for an ND (or NMD as some graduates refer to themselves), but the reason I backed off was because other graduates told me about the poor clinical rotations issues and the medicine not being evidence-based enough. They told me to do an MD or DO degree first, and then come back to ND school if I'm interested. I have also heard from current medical school students (MD/DO) who had PREVIOUSLY been naturopathic students, and even they said that their naturopathic medical coursework and licensing exams was much lesser quality (as they had to do both since MD/DO schools don't allow transfer credits from ND schools). But a lot of people are obviously not willing to get a conventional medical degree first, and thus are starting these sorts of practices with insufficient training. (Don't get me wrong, I think naturopaths have a LOT to offer, and I've always enjoyed my visits with them as a client. I'm glad they exist and offer this health niche, it's just that I dislike when they misrepresent themselves as full-fledged physicians, as their lack of clinical training is a major concern. After seeing firsthand the limitations, I honestly feel that naturopathic/integrative medicine would be much better as a fellowship for MD/DOs who already have the solid science/clinical background.) This is by no means isolated to the example above, but is a widespread issue. If you really want to do something about it, then take it to your state board and see what they think. Since I am a mere incoming medical student, and since I may consider taking some naturopathic coursework AFTER I complete medical school (unless I pursue an integrative fellowship for MD/DOs like what Dr. Weil's clinic offers)... I'm not going to take this up for obvious reasons, as that would be like shooting myself in the foot. But if practicing physicians take issue, then you should make an issue of it if you feel appropriate.
I have been watching integrative and natural medicine explode over the last several years, and have been telling medical students and physicians about it and how they should be getting into it themselves, instead of leaving complementary medicine to other groups like naturopaths and nurses to pursue... but nobody seems to pay attention, and then they get shocked when they see websites like this.
