Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Naturopathic Physicians
Naturopathic Physicians diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases using a system of practice that is based on the natural healing capacity of individuals. May use physiological, psychological or mechanical methods. May also use natural medicines, prescription or legend drugs, foods, herbs, or other natural remedies.
Table of contents
What they do
Naturopathic Physicians diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases using a system of practice that is based on the natural healing capacity of individuals. May use physiological, psychological or mechanical methods. May also use natural medicines, prescription or legend drugs, foods, herbs, or other natural remedies.
- Interview patients to document symptoms and health histories.
- Document patients’ histories, including identifying data, chief complaints, illnesses, previous medical or family histories, or psychosocial characteristics.
- Administer, dispense, or prescribe natural medicines, such as food or botanical extracts, herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and amino acids.
- Advise patients about therapeutic exercise and nutritional medicine regimens.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Naturopathic Physicians interview patients to document symptoms and health histories. They document patients’ histories, including identifying data, chief complaints, illnesses, previous medical or family histories, or psychosocial characteristics.
A typical day for a Naturopathic Physician will also include:
- Administer, dispense, or prescribe natural medicines, such as food or botanical extracts, herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and amino acids.
- Diagnose health conditions, based on patient’s symptoms and health histories, laboratory and diagnostic radiology test results, or other physiological measurements, such as electrocardiograms and electroencephalographs.
- Educate patients about health care management.
- Advise patients about therapeutic exercise and nutritional medicine regimens.
- Conduct physical examinations and physiological function tests for diagnostic purposes.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Naturopathic Physicians also monitor updates from public health agencies to keep abreast of health trends. They may also maintain professional development through activities such as postgraduate education, continuing education, preceptorships, and residency programs.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Naturopathic Physicians perform minor surgical procedures, such as removing warts, moles, or cysts, sampling tissues for skin cancer or lipomas, and applying or removing sutures. They might also perform venipuncture or skin pricking to collect blood samples.
In addition, they report patterns of patients’ health conditions, such as disease status and births, to public health agencies.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them prescribe synthetic drugs under the supervision of medical doctors or within the allowances of regulatory bodies.
To some Naturopathic Physicians, it is also their responsibility to consult with other health professionals to provide optimal patient care, referring patients to traditional health care professionals as necessary.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
74% said they were satisfied with their job and 82% said they found their job meaningful.
I am a licensed naturopathic doctor who has been helping people on their wellness journey for over 15 years. I specialize in Digestion and Hormonal dysfunction functional medicine and nutrition, which means that my goal is to help people to get to the root cause of the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms.
I do laboratory testing like blood tests, stool tests, and hormonal dysfunction tests. I provide consulting services and guidance to people about their health issues and dietary plans. I analyze diet and nutrition, as well as, I do detailed functional pathology testing to find out what factors may be contributing to current health problems. I come up with a personalized plan tailored to meet individual’s needs to achieve optimal health!
My typical day
Almost every day, I have a similar schedule.
I am lucky enough to work 100% online which has been helpful especially with the situation over the past year. This has many advantages in that I can choose my own hours so that I have time for school drop-off and time with my family, but it also means that I work some unusual hours – however, I had a past life as a chef so I am used to that.
Plus with working with clients from around the world I need to be flexible with my consultations to fit people in from Europe, Australia, and North America.
Here is a typical day for me if it is a consultation day – I do consultations 4 days a week and keep one day for research and keeping up with my own writing.
The morning – I am normally up early and from 6:30 or 7am to 8am I focus on emailing clients that I have consulted with the day before their treatment plans, while people may have similar symptoms the treatment can vary from person to person so this has to be customized.
I will also make sure that new orders for functional pathology test kits, stool kits, and hormone testing are ordered and they are shipped out from the lab.
8am to 9am: This is the time to drop my daughter at school and take out dogs for a walk.
9am to 10pm: I make sure I am ready for the day’s consultations, get client files in order, and prepare for the day.
10am to 5pm: This is consultation time, appointments are usually 30 to 60 minutes long and on a typical day I will consult with 6 to 8 people. All consultations are via Zoom and I do detailed digestion, hormone, and pathology testing with clients which helps to take out the guesswork with why they are experiencing symptoms so that we can get to the root cause of their problem.
*30 minutes set aside for school pick up.
I like to do my consultations standing up
5pm to 8pm: This is family time, and one of our favorite activities is to get out and play tennis and we also try and eat quite early.
8pm to 9:30pm: A couple of nights a week I will do consultations at this time to fit into the Australian time zone, or I will spend this time analyzing test results, research, and catching up on the business side of things
Relax for an hour before sleeping.
While it is a long day I love my work and the flexibility that it gives me, if I need to do something in the day have a school event on I can block out the time in my diary and make sure that I have the time to do it. Working like this over the past few years started as a necessity as I lived between Vancouver Island and Australia but now I will never go back to a regular clinic.
Pros
- A naturopathic doctor is a licensed primary care physician who treats the whole person, not just the illness
- The benefits of being a naturopathic doctor are increased quality of life, improved health and wellness, decreased stress levels, and an increase in income potential
- There is no shortage of jobs for NDs – there will be more than enough jobs available to meet demand
- The average annual salary for a naturopathic doctor ranges from $85 thousand to $150 thousand per year
- Becoming an ND requires 4-5 years of full-time study at an accredited school with 3 years of clinical training after graduation
- If you want to become a better version of yourself and help others do the same while also making money doing what you love, then this career path might be right for you!
- Naturopathic doctors are highly trained and specialized health care professionals
- They have the education, training, knowledge, and skills to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions
- Naturopathic doctors promote natural healing by using safe, effective therapies to strengthen your body’s ability to heal itself
- They work in conjunction with other medical providers when necessary
- You can specialize in treating specific areas of medicine such as pediatrics or women’s health
- There is an increased demand for naturopathic physicians all over the world
Cons
- You can’t prescribe drugs
- You are not allowed to perform surgery or other invasive procedures
- There is no way to get a medical degree without going through the traditional system
- They often have trouble finding work because many hospitals don’t hire naturopathic doctors
- They must spend years studying and training before they can practice on their own
- Some people believe that naturopathic doctors are just glorified herbalists, but this isn’t true! Naturopaths use herbs too but also use modern medicine and treatments as well
- It is hard to find jobs – the naturopathic field is growing, but there are not enough positions for all of the aspiring doctors
- The education required for this profession can take up to six years (a bachelor’s degree, four years of medical school, and an additional two years of clinical training)
- There are some areas where it may be difficult to practice as a naturopath because you need a license or certification that allows you to do so in that area
- To maintain your license and certifications, you will have continuing education hours each year which means paying more money on top of what has already been invested in becoming a naturopath
- Naturopathy does not cover prescription drugs or surgery, which could lead people who cannot afford these treatments elsewhere
Pros
Suitable for people who like to solve problems mentally.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to follow routines.
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Naturopathic Physicians with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $61,380 to $126,470 per year or $30 to $61 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Median | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $126,470 | $61 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $61,380 | $30 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
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Telephone
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Group discussions
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Public speaking
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Level of competition
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What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
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Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
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On The Job Training
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Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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