Residency programs are post-doctoral professional training programs.  Naturopathic residency programs vary in length from about 1-3 years and are most commonly in general naturopathic medical practice (outpatient family medicine), as compared to practice in a specialty area of naturopathic medicine (naturopathy).

 

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Below are answers to frequently asked questions about naturopathic residency programs in the USA.

 

Who accredits naturopathic residency programs?¹

The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) accredits naturopathic residency programs.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredits allopathic and osteopathic residency programs.

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Osteopathic Graduate Medical Education (OGME) Development Initiative is transitioning accreditation and matching of osteopathic residency programs to the ACGME and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

 

Who oversees the naturopathic residency match program?²

The Naturopathic Post-Graduate Association (NPGA) oversaw the matching process for naturopathic physicians applying to CNME-approved naturopathic residency programs through the 2016 match year.  The Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) began full oversight of the matching process for naturopathic physicians (naturopaths) on 2017 January 01.  Applications require submission of the “Universal Application for CNME-Approved Naturopathic Residencies” to the directors responsible for processing applications of each sponsoring school of the residencies being applied for.

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), also known as “The Match”, oversees the matching process for allopathic and osteopathic physicians (who submit AAMC USMLE scores) applying to ACGME-approved allopathic and osteopathic residency programs.  Applicants must submit their applications using the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) sponsors the AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program, also known as the “Match” or the “AOA Match”, and oversees the matching process, administered by National Matching Services Inc. on behalf of the AOA, for osteopathic physicians applying to AOA-approved osteopathic residency programs.  Applicants must submit their applications using the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).  Osteopathic physicians have the options of applying to residency programs in the AOA Match only, applying to residency programs in the NRMP only, or applying to residency programs in both the AOA Match and the NRMP.

 

Is completion of a residency program required for licensure?³

At this time, completion of a naturopathic residency program is not required for naturopathic licensure, except in the state of Utah, where completion of at least 1 year of a residency program is required.

Completion of a residency program is generally required for allopathic licensure and osteopathic licensure, except in the state of Missouri, where an allopathic medical doctor (allopath) or osteopathic medical doctor (osteopath) can work as an assistant physician.

 

Why is completion of a residency program not required for licensure?⁴

Completion of a residency program is not currently required for licensure, other than in Utah, because of how the legislation has been written and passed in states that license or register naturopathic physicians (naturopaths).  A current barrier to requirement of completion of a residency program, other than in Utah, is that naturopathic residencies are privately funded and there are more graduating naturopathic physicians (naturopaths) each year than there are available naturopathic residencies.

Allopathic and osteopathic residency programs are currently federally- and state-funded, mostly through Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Administration (VA), which is why there are more programs and completion of a residency is able to be required for licensure.

 

REFERENCES

1. Who accredits naturopathic residency programs?

   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. About the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.  What We Do:  Overview.
   • American Osteopathic Association.  OGME Development Initiative.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • National Resident Matching Program. Newly ACGME-Accredited Osteopathic Institutions/Programs FAQs.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. CNME Handbook for Naturopathic Medicine Residency Programs.  Accessed on 2016 Oct 01.
   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.  Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • National Resident Matching Program.  National Resident Matching Program.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.

2. Who oversees the naturopathic residency match program?

   • Naturopathic Post-Graduate Association.  Naturopathic Post-Graduate Association.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • National Resident Matching Program. The Match.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • American Osteopathic Association. AOA Match Program.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • National Matching Services, Inc. – AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program.  About the Match: Overview of the Matching Program.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • Association of American Medical Colleges. Applying to Residencies with ERAS^®.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • Association of American Medical Colleges. Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS^®).  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Matching Self to Program: The Match Process.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. Universal Application for CNME-Approved Naturopathic Residencies.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • National Resident Matching Program. NRMP Main Residency Match and AOA Match: Matching Plan Comparison.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • National Resident Matching Program. What is The Match^®?.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • National Matching Services, Inc. – AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program.  AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • National Matching Services, Inc. – AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program.  Applicant Registration.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • American Osteopathic Association. Electronic Residency Application Service.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • National Resident Matching Program.  Newly ACGME-Accredited Osteopathic Institutions/Programs FAQs.  Accessed on 2016 Sep 28.
   • Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.  Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.  Post-Graduate Naturopathic Residencies.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • Association of American Medical Colleges.  Association of American Medical Colleges.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • United States Medical Licensing Examination.  Scores & Transcripts.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.  Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • American Osteopathic Association.  American Osteopathic Association.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • National Matching Services Inc.  National Matching Services.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • American Osteopathic Association.  Welcome to Opportunities – AOA-Approved Post Doctorial Training.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.

3. Is completion of a residency program required for licensure?

   • Utah State Legislature. Utah Code Title 58 Chapter 71 Part 3 Section 302 – Qualifications for licensure.  Accessed on 2016 Apr 03.
   • Missouri General Assembly.  Missouri Revised Statutes, Chapter 334, Section 334.036.1 Assistant physicians–definitions–limitation on practice–licensure, rulemaking authority–collaborative practice arrangements.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.
   • Missouri Division of Professional Registration – Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.  Assistant Physicians.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.

4. Why is completion of a residency program not required for licensure?

   • Naturopathic Post-Graduate Association. Current Residencies:  CNME-Approved Residency Training Sites.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • American Medical Association. Graduate Medical Education (GME) Financing Resource Page.  Accessed on 2016 Mar 25.
   • Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.  Post-Graduate Naturopathic Residencies.  Accessed on 2017 Mar 17.