In 2017, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law a bill that licensed naturopathic doctors in the Bay State. The Massachusetts Society of Naturopathic Doctors (MSND) is thrilled to announce that license applications are now available, and providers have their doors open to offer natural medicine options to people in Massachusetts.

Licensed Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are trained to provide primary care and to diagnose and treat patients of all ages, genders and conditions. During a naturopathic medical visit, a comprehensive biological, psychological and social history is obtained. Physical examination and diagnostic tests may be included for accurate medical diagnosis. Therapeutic interventions may include clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, physical medicine, behavioral medicine, lifestyle recommendations and more. The ultimate goal of naturopathic care is to support the body’s innate capacity to heal by treating the whole person with an individualized plan and teaching the patient how to prevent further illness.

NDs are educated and trained at accreditednaturopathic medical colleges. Naturopathic medical education curricula offer a comprehensive, rigorous and well-rounded scientific medical education that is both comparable and complementary to that of medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine.  It incorporates a foundation in biomedicine, cutting-edge natural therapies and supervised clinical application of classroom knowledge. Naturopathic doctors demonstrate competence through standardized licensing examination and are required to maintain that competence through ongoing continuing education.