About CCNM

The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, established in 1978, offers an accredited four-year, full-time professional program in naturopathic medicine. Graduates receive a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) diploma.

Mission

CCNM educates, develops and trains naturopathic doctors through excellence in health education, clinical services and research that integrate mind, body and spirit.

Vision

To lead the development of primary health care through education in naturopathic medicine. 

Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a complete and co-ordinated approach to health care. It is the art and science of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention using natural therapies and gentle techniques.

Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine are specialists in natural medicine and preventive health care, integrating scientific knowledge with traditional healing wisdom. They are health-care professionals who use safe, gentle, non-invasive therapies to assist the whole person in maximizing the body's inherent self-healing capacity.

The Principels of Naturopathic Medicine

Identify and Treat the Causes (Tolle causam) -

• The naturopathic doctor seeks to identify and to remove the underlying causes of illness, rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symtoms.
  

First Do No Harm (Primum non nocere) -

• Naturopathic doctors follow these three guidelines to avoid harming the patient:
• Use methods and medicines which minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat.
• Avoid, when possible, the harmful suppressing of symptoms.
• Acknowledge, respect and work the individual's self-healing process
  

Doctor as Teacher (Docere)

• Naturopathic doctors share information and knowledge with their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health.
  

Treat the whole person

• Naturopathic doctors treat each patient by taking into account individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and social factors.
  

Emphasize prevention

• Naturopathic doctors emphasize the prevention of disease by assessing risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease and making appropriate interventions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness. 

Support the healing power of the body (vis medicatrix naturae)

• Naturopathic Medicine recognizes an inherent self healing process in the person which is ordered and intelligent.
• Naturopathic doctors act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, and facilitate and increase this inherent self-healing process.

Accreditation

The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine is accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), the accrediting agency for naturopathic colleges and programs in Canada and the United States.

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