Jason Porter NMD is my guest today. He practices at East Valley Naturopathic Doctors.
Margaret: Dr. Porter, what caused you to choose to become an NMD rather than an MD or DO?
Dr. Porter: I chose to become a NMD because I knew from prior experience how effective lifestyle changes could be on any health condition. It seemed to me that most doctors were ignoring the simple things and were more ready to prescribe a medication than a lifestyle recommendation. I wanted people to be healthier and better off long term from what information I gave them. I felt alternative medicine would do that that better.
Margaret: What is the Difference between an NMD and an ND?
Dr. Porter: There is technically no difference between NMD and ND. In some states a licensed Naturopathic Physician may call himself a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD). There are states where licensing for ND is not available and certain groups who are not trained in a four year accredited program will call themselves ND’s.
Margaret: There are family doctors or Primary Care Physicians and numerous specialties in traditional medicine, What are the specialties in Naturopathy?
Dr. Porter: Naturopathic Medical Schools train doctors as Primary Care Physicians. The increasing rate of information, knowledge and complexity of disease can inhibit Naturopathic Doctors from staying current on every disease and optimal treatments. Many doctors do specialize in certain areas to the benefit of their patients. The are no specific designations so doctors are able to choose any variety of specialties in Naturopathic medicine they would like to treat.
