Guidelines for Establishing a Naturopathic Profession in a Country
According to the 2019 Health Technology Assessment on Naturopathy, there is a naturopathic workforce in over 108 countries, spanning all WHO Regions. After extensive review and surveying of the global naturopathic profession there is consensus on the seven specific aspects to naturopathic education and the two main naturopathic educational programs recognized by the global naturopathic profession – a 2500-hour naturopathic practitioner program and a 4000+ hour naturopathic doctor program.
The WNF encourages the advancement of the naturopathic profession and looks forward to the day that there is a naturopathic workforce in every country. Like most traditional systems of medicine, the naturopathic profession has expanded into so many countries by trained naturopathic doctors or naturopaths setting up a practice in a country and over time working with other trained naturopathic doctors / naturopaths to establish a professional association and then educational programs.
For the foundational basis and the professional integrity of the naturopathic profession to be maintained, the WNF encourages that the following guidelines are adhered to.
Naturopathic Professional Associations
Most countries will have guidelines that outline the requirements for the formation of a non-profit professional association. Those guidelines often include the number of people that are required to start an association and what non-profit associations can and can not do. It is important to always verify the non-profit association guidelines in your country.
Please refer to the WNF policy statement titled, Guidelines for Professional Naturopathic Organizations. This policy statement outlines:
• Goals of naturopathic professional association
• Steps to the formation and development of a naturopathic professional association
• Bylaw recommendations
• Member benefits
• General activities of professional naturopathic associations
Naturopathic Educational Programs
The WNF recognizes two main naturopathic educational programs. A 2500-hour naturopathic practitioner program and a 4000+ hour naturopathic doctor program. Although two programs are recognized, we recommend that each country focus on only one of the programs. We also recognize that advanced naturopathic programs are becoming more common. It is important that a country establish successful delivery of either the practitioner or doctor-based naturopathic programs prior to offering advanced naturopathic training programs.
As with all professional healthcare educational standards, it is imperative that those that are teaching the naturopathic components of any naturopathic program are themselves adequately trained and graduates of programs that meet the WNF educational standards.
The WNF provides several valuable resources for those qualified naturopathic doctors / naturopaths that are looking to establish a naturopathic program. The documents include:
• Health Technology Assessment on Naturopathy
• Naturopathic Educational Program Guide
• WNF Naturopathic Educational Program Report
• Naturopathic Education Accreditation Standards Comparison
• WNF Guide for Supervised Clinical Practice
• WNF Technology Enhanced Education
WNF Support
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@worldnaturopathicfederation.org and we will help you if we can, or we will work to find another organization that can support you.
Date Approved: February 12th , 2025