Now, nearing the second anniversary of AFM, Dr. Biscoe shares a wealth of experience for those considering opening their own practices. Whether you are a current student, or a prospective student thinking about becoming a naturopathic physician, read on for 5 questions to ask yourself before opening your own naturopathic medical practice. Ěý

1) Why did I choose to become a Naturopathic Doctor?

Ask yourself, “How do I want to dedicate myself to help patients, day-in-and-day-out? For me it means helping to make a difference in patients’ lives, finding work-life balance, and the challenging pleasure of being a health care entrepreneur. Stay grounded and remember what is most important to you in practicing medicine, and in life.

A lot of my time is devoted to patient care: visits, reviewing labs, doing research, and developing treatment plans. If you have always been interested in the mind/body/spirit connections of human health and well-being, naturopathic medicine may be your calling. The health of individual patients is connected to global health and society, and the skill and compassion you have to offer can help make a positive impact toward a better world.

2) Will I join an existing practice or open my own?

Just as the healing benefits of naturopathic medicine are unique to each individual, so is how you choose to practice. As life-long learners, naturopathic doctors value the free exchange of perspectives and insight. One of the greatest benefits of joining an existing practice is that you gain hands-on experience while engaging with colleagues established in the profession.

If you choose to join an integrative practice, where practitioners from various disciplines—such as NDs, DCs, MDs, acupuncturists, nutritionists, and others collaborate—you will have the ability to offer your patients a more complete range of holistic care options. Be prepared to work as a team member, and be open to giving and receiving feedback.

Patients need all of these disciplines, working together, to be fully informed and to receive the highest quality of health care. Though some medical doctors may still be slow to embrace naturopathic medicine, many others have already done so. Through rigorous training, NDs are aware of, and supportive of, cases where certain conditions require an MD’s approach. Understand the importance of referrals to colleagues—or their referrals to you—for the best patient outcomes.

Alternatively, perhaps you are an entrepreneur at heart. Some NDs prefer being a one-person practice as it allows for greater business autonomy and greater freedom in treatment approaches/modalities. However, keep in mind you may not be able to do everything yourself. If you choose notĚýto take on a partner, you may need to consider an office assistant. There are only 24 hours in a day, and it is important to recognize which tasks you should keep and which ones you should delegate based on your personality, work style, and vision of fulfillment.

3) What are the considerations if I choose a partner?

All successful partnerships are about having good mutual communication, being trustworthy, ethical, hardworking and considerate–it is a marriage of sorts. My own experience has taught me the benefits of a strong partnership outweigh the negative aspects.

One of the most important ways we support each other is by consulting on tough clinical cases together. We can “divide and conquer” the issues such as patient load and business tasks, with one of us taking on more patients while the other works on a given business need—whatever that may be.

4) How will I keep my practice growing?

Become active in networking and read! Join the Ěý(AANP). Talk to other naturopathic doctors; your colleagues are an invaluable resource. Looking back, I would have reached out to more doctors for shadowing and mentorship. Consider active participation or a leadership role in your alumni association. Fellow practitioners have made their share of mistakes, but over time, found what works. Realize that you do not need to “reinvent the wheel,” and you should learn from their experiences.

I also recommend following the blogs, newsletters and YouTube channels of many online marketers. Read books about copywriting, marketing, and leadership. Some of the most valuable business books I have read include Ca$hvertisingĚýby Drew Eric Whitman, The Peace ProcessĚýby Miriam Zacharias, and Profit FirstĚýby Mike Michalowicz.

5) How will I know if I’m doing things right?

Self-evaluation is important, so take the time to reflect. This is something you may need to do frequently when you are starting out. To be sure, there are challenges. Early on, you are working crazy hours. At Attune, we were putting in 14- and 16-hour days before we opened, so we could get our office forms and policies together, set up our lab accounts, get our payment merchant finalized, and more.

You will start seeing patients and taking payment from them, but you still have to pay back your start-up costs, so there will be a period of time where you are not profitable and not really paying yourself. It is tough, but it is also worth it—remember why you wanted to practice naturopathic medicine in the first place!

It is rewarding to know that I have the tools and knowledge to take care of myself, my family and people who are suffering. It is also rewarding to know I have a business partner who has my back. My career allows for some very fun conversations at dinner parties—I love talking to people about what I do!

Something I learned helping establish a practice that I would not have guessed as a student is that you cannot help every patient, or treat every condition, and you do not WANT to. Do not be afraid to refer clients to other practitioners if they are not ideal for you. We actually state on our website which patients we believe will benefit the most from our practice and healing philosophy. It is not about turning anyone away, it is about assuring a proper fit for both parties. In the long run you will save yourself—and your clients—time and resources when the patients you serve will benefit the most from the scope of your practice.

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“Twenty-eight prominent health systems, hospitals, and cancer treatment centers now have one or more licensed naturopathic doctors on staff at their facilities. Today there are approximately 6,000 licensed naturopathic doctors practicing in the U.S. Twenty-three U.S. states and territories currently license naturopathic doctors.”

As the demand for this type of holistic care grows, there is a need for more trained naturopathic doctors.

For many, naturopathic physicians offer a new perspective on their health care. NDs treat a wide variety of medical conditions and can provide both individual and family health care. Some of the most common ailments they treat include:

• Allergies
• Chronic pain
• Digestive issues
• Heart disease
• Fertility problems
• Cancer
• Autoimmunity
• Complex chronic conditions

What is a Naturopathic Doctor?

The field of medicine, at its core, is the same but branches off in different directions concerning the approach, tools and methodologies used in caring for patients. Allopathic doctors (conventional medical doctors) and naturopathic doctors (doctors that practice natural medicine) share the same basic foundational knowledge while approaching patient treatment in different ways.

On one side of the coin, an allopathic doctor is someone who practices conventional western medicine. They mainly focus on treating symptoms with remedies such as prescription medicines and surgical interventions.

On the other side of the coin is naturopathic medicine, which is a holistic approach to the proactive prevention of illnesses and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of their underlying causes using traditional healing methods, principles and practices. NDs combine the wisdom of cooperating with nature with the rigors of modern science, utilizing gentle treatments that support the body’s own healing power. They practice personalized medicine and consider each patient’s unique situation based on genetics, environmental exposures and lifestyle.

Are naturopathic doctors quacks? Absolutely not. Natural doctors are highly trained and thorough diagnosticians who focus on the least invasive and least toxic therapies when treating patients. Treatment modalities can include:

• Nutritional counseling
• Botanical medicine
• Homeopathy
• Hydrotherapy
• Minor surgery

The solutions may be simple, but they are both significant and impactful when it comes to a patient’s overall health.

Helping Patients Avoid Costly Prescription Drugs and Their Harmful Effects

With the changing political landscape, many Americans are experiencing uncertainty concerning health insurance and the different avenues available to finance their health care needs.

Health care is a significant expense for individuals and families — especially those with chronic diseases. One of the largest expenses people face is costly prescriptions. However, patients who see a naturopathic doctor often can avoid using costly drugs that frequently result in harmful side effects. Instead, naturopathic medicine focuses on treating a wide spectrum of illnesses using nature’s healing power.

ImproveĚýPatients’ Lifestyles

In today’s world of fad diets, overly processed foods and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), living a healthy lifestyle can be challenging. It can also be difficult for patients to know what they may be doing that’s negatively impacting their health.

Naturopathic doctors look beyond their patients’ symptoms to consider the underlying causes of their conditions and how to prevent the issues from occurring in the first place. For those with recurring conditions, this approach might be especially useful.

In fact, identifying and treating the causes of an illness rather than just the symptoms is one of the six principles of naturopathic medicine. Those who visit NDs who have degrees from Council on Naturopathic Medical Education ( can rest assured that their naturopathic physicians are trained in these principles.

Another principle doctors of naturopathic medicine follow is to be teachers — not just doctors — to patients. NDs strive to educate patients in ways to achieve and maintain optimal health. That way, patients have the tools to practice healthy living in their everyday lives.

There’s a Growing Demand for NDs

More people than ever are seeking natural health care treatments and are choosing naturopathic doctors as their primary care providers. As a result, more states are beginning to recognize the value of naturopathic medicine to their residents.

Pennsylvania and Massachusetts recently joined 17 other states (and Washington D.C.) in recognizing licensure for natural doctors. Licensure ensures that NDs:

• Hold graduate degrees from accredited naturopathic schools — such as 911±¬ÁĎ University of Health Sciences (911±¬ÁĎ)
• Have successfully passed national board exams
• Comply with medical practice and professional standards set forth by state legislators

All of this means that patients can trust they are receiving quality care from their naturopathic physicians.

As word about the natural and health-optimizing benefits of naturopathic medicine continues to spread, it is apparent that this alternative health care option is here to stay, and demand for Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine will continue to be on the rise.

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