If a person received their (N.D.) Doctor of Naturopathy are they considered a practitioner?

I'm really interested in studying alternative medicine after I receive my bachelor's degree. I discovered a college of natural healing that gives a person two options to receive their degree in Naturopathy.

One option is to receive their Doctor of Naturopathy after they received their bachelor's degree. The other one is going for the Master's Degree, then Ph.D. in Naturopathy.

Is the Doctor of Naturopathy for a person who wants to practice it and receive their N.D. degree? Is the Ph.D. degree for a person that wants to teach, do research, and practice it?

If I went for the Doctor of Naturopathy, am I considered a Naturopathic practitioner? Would I have to let people know that I am not a doctor and just practicing alternative medicine?

If a person went for there Ph.D. would they be addressed Dr. (Last Name)? Even though I would not be a medicine Doctor. Is there a state exam that Naturopathic students must take after they are done with the cirriculum?

It completely depends on the state you choose to practice in (if naturopathy is liscenced) and more importantly, if you go to an accredited naturopathy school (of which there are only 6 in the US).
Those put you through a fairly difficult and rigorous training, at the end of which you are set up to be a physician.
On the other hand, there are a lot of correspondance schools/diploma mills which also give naturopathy degrees and are effectively "worthless."

However, if you wish to pursue the real naturopathy route, look up going to a college like bastyr university. (or any of the other accredited ones).

"Real" naturopathy is starting to get into the system, and is considered a real serious degree, so you're welcome to give it a shot.
Just make sure the school is real, cause it would really suck to go through all of that for naught.

Hope that helps; feel free to ask me if you have any more questions on the issue. I have a lot of friends in that field.

I can't answer all the questions that you asked, but in regards to the honorific, doctor, yes a ND (and especially a PhD) is referred to by their clients as doctors. Be aware that they are not physicians and have no prescription powers and are not board certified by any conventional means. If you are looking at doing a PhD, may I suggest that you look at nutritional science programs at more legitimate universities. You will find that in addition to stipends, tuition waivers, health insurance etc that a degree from a school that people have heard of will give you more credibility (and you won't garner any debt).

If they graduate and then go to a state that has a licensing board for naturopaths, then they have to apply for a license before they become a practitioner and are allowed to advertise themselves as such. If in an unregulated state, they can start practicing right away.

Naturopathy is a scam, instead of doctor these people should be called "criminal" or at least "liar." It doesn't really matter how many nonsensical degrees they have from online universities.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRela...