Departments within the Naturopathic Medicine Program
Botanical Medicine
(See Department of Botanical Medicine Mission and Vision.)
Botanical medicine is a core modality for naturopathic physicians to use in optimizing the health and well-being of their patients. Medicinal plants have been used as food and medicine by all peoples on all continents. The importance of plants to humans has been recorded in cave paintings 60,000 years old. A contemporary renaissance in herbal medicine weds traditional use and wisdom with modern analytical methodologies for optimal medical applications for today. Empirical knowledge of plant therapeutics is based on Western and holistic thought, rather than reductionist paradigms, and is linked with contemporary scientific knowledge.
The core curriculum in botanical medicine for naturopathic medical students covers fundamental plant identification and nomenclature, pharmacognosy, therapeutic actions, extraction principles, dosage considerations, contraindications, toxicology, herb-drug interactions, clinical applications and treatment regimens. Clinical therapeutics draws from traditional uses, naturopathic formulae and use, and from international scientific and clinical research, as well as advances in phytotherapy. Herbal medicine making is incorporated into the third-year systems modules, which focus on treatment. Completion of the required curriculum, along with the required clinical experience, prepares the student for effective and safe clinical utilization of preventive and therapeutic botanicals.
A variety of botanical medicine elective and special topic courses are offered to students in the naturopathic medicine program and other programs, along with independent study options.
The Bastyr University Gardens are managed by the botanical medicine department, with support from the University and donations. The gardens are maintained primarily by the garden supervisor, assistant supervisors and work-study students. The botanical medicine department continues to build an herbarium, although the vast University of Washington herbarium is used as one of Bastyr’s teaching venues. The department supports a botanical medicine lab to expand class experience and provide a space for students to continue exploring their work and passion for herbs.
Homeopathic Medicine
Homeopathic medicine is a broad therapeutic modality that is integral to naturopathic medicine. Homeopathy is based on the law of similars. This principle states that a substance that is capable of producing symptoms of disease in a healthy person can cure an ill patient presenting a similar pattern of disease symptoms. Homeopathic medicines stimulate a person’s inherent defense mechanism. The entire range of mental, emotional and physical symptoms is considered with each patient. A single medicine is then chosen that addresses the complex pattern of the patient, while emphasizing the uniqueness of the individual.
The homeopathic curriculum at Bastyr University includes the basic principles and philosophy of homeopathy, materia medica of commonly used homeopathic medicines, use of the homeopathic repertory, taking a homeopathic case and homeopathic case analysis. Practical therapeutics for common medical conditions are incorporated into the systems modules in the third year, focused on treatment.
Physical Medicine
Physical medicine is an integral part of naturopathic medicine. It includes various modalities, such as hydrotherapy, osseous and soft-tissue manipulation, sports medicine and therapeutic exercise. The course of study and clinical training in physical medicine enable students to develop a solid foundation for entry into the practice of naturopathic medicine. The curriculum offers sufficient hours in manipulation to satisfy the state of Washington’s licensing requirement as a naturopathic physician.
The physical medicine curriculum begins by teaching students the art of touch and palpation, introduction to basic Swedish massage techniques and soft-tissue manipulation, and then progresses to osseous manipulation.
Summer Massage Intensive
Bastyr University, Bellevue Massage School Center for Healing Arts and International Professional School of Bodywork in San Diego offer students a summer massage training program that allows them to apply coursework taken at Bastyr University toward the state requirements for massage licensure. This course cannot be audited.
Students interested in further information may meet with their academic advisor in the registrar’s office or with their department’s program supervisor to discuss program availability and the course prerequisites.
Naturopathic Medicine Clinic Entrance Prerequisites
Naturopathic medicine students must complete and achieve competency in all required classes prior to entering clinical training. Questions about didactic prerequisites for clinical ND training should be addressed to the registrar’s office on campus. Students must also have completed TB screening, received a hepatitis B vaccination or signed a waiver, have a current CPR card, and submit to a national criminal background check. The criminal background check will be conducted prior to enrolling in clinical shifts. For more information, see “Felony Conviction Disclosure and Background Checks” in the Academic Policy and Procedure Manual .
Clinic Requirements
Students in the four-year program begin clinical training in their first year. Clinical training begins with observation, in which the student follows supervisors through their rotations. The next year clinical training builds to active observation, with clinical skills demonstrated by the student and evaluated by the supervisor. The training supports students to gradually and continually develop and expand their clinical skills and competence throughout their roles as early, intermediate and experienced student clinicians. Students are required to successfully complete a minimum of 1,208 hours of clinical training.
Graduation Requirements
The curriculum of the naturopathic medicine program requires completion of 302.5 credits for graduation. This includes 242.5 core course credits, 8 elective credits and 52 clinical credits. Students must achieve competency (grade of AC) in all 302.5 credits required in the curriculum. Students must complete all required clinical competencies in order to graduate. Students must complete at least two-thirds of their credits in residence at Bastyr University.
Electives
Students in the naturopathic medicine program are required to complete 8 elective credits (included in the 302.5 credit totals) during their course of study. Up to 3 of these credits may be satisfied by independent study. It is recommended that elective credits be spread out over the length of the student’s program. Courses designated as elective and special topics may fulfill this 8-credit requirement, as well as additional clinic shifts during the student’s clinical training. A maximum of 3 elective credits from any one discipline may be used to satisfy the naturopathic medicine program elective requirement. The rule of a 3-credit maximum does not apply to elective credits being taken to satisfy waived credits. Elective credits covering waived course credits may be from any discipline. A student may take elective credits from any program/department.
Naturopathic Medicine Program Tracks
Students who are accepted into the program and decide not to complete the program in four years must choose one of the following approved options:
- Extended Track-Option
- Extended Dual-Degree Option
At the time of enrollment, naturopathic medicine students are registered for the four-year track. Students in their preclinical training who wish to change to an extended track must complete the ND change of status form (available in the registrar’s office) and then meet with their registrar advisor, room 249. Changes may affect financial aid packages as well as the sequencing of courses. This five-year track extends the first two years of preclinical training into three years. As long as a student remains on an approved program track, there should be no course scheduling conflicts. Students must remain on track in order to graduate on time. Students may not register off track or ahead of track without approval from the associate academic dean.