What Does a Licensed Naturopathic Physician (NMD) Do?

If you have been researching naturopathic medicine, you may have encountered several different terms: naturopathic physician, naturopathic doctor, NMD, ND, naturopath, holistic doctor, or integrative physician.

These terms are sometimes used interchangeably online, but they do not necessarily describe the same education, licensing, or scope of practice.

A licensed naturopathic physician, often designated as an NMD or ND depending on the school and jurisdiction, is a healthcare professional who has completed doctoral-level naturopathic medical education and met the licensing requirements of a jurisdiction that regulates the profession.

In Arizona, naturopathic physicians are licensed and regulated by the state. Arizona law defines a physician under the naturopathic medicine statutes as a licensed doctor of naturopathic medicine and defines naturopathic medical practice as including the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, injuries, ailments, and other medical conditions.

But what does that actually mean during an appointment?

A licensed naturopathic physician may evaluate symptoms, establish diagnoses, order and interpret laboratory testing, discuss medications, provide preventive healthcare, recommend nutrition and lifestyle changes, use appropriate naturopathic therapies, and coordinate care with specialists or other healthcare professionals.

Exactly what an NMD does depends on the patient's medical needs, the physician's training and clinical focus, and the laws governing naturopathic medicine in the state where care is provided.

For a broader introduction to the profession, start with our complete guide to naturopathic medicine.

What Is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician?

A licensed naturopathic physician is different from someone who simply describes themselves as a naturopath or natural-health practitioner.

Licensed naturopathic physicians complete a doctoral naturopathic medical program that includes biomedical sciences, clinical sciences, diagnosis, physical examination, pharmacology, laboratory medicine, nutrition, and supervised clinical training.

The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education currently accredits primarily campus-based doctoral naturopathic medical programs that typically require four years to complete. Graduates seeking licensure generally must also complete the applicable Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations, or NPLEX, and meet the requirements established by their state or provincial licensing authority.

Licensing is important because it establishes educational and examination requirements and places the physician under the authority of a professional regulatory board.

In Arizona, naturopathic physicians are regulated by the Arizona Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board.

What Does a Naturopathic Physician Actually Do?

The day-to-day work of a naturopathic physician may look more familiar than many patients expect.

An appointment may involve reviewing symptoms, obtaining a detailed medical history, evaluating previous diagnoses, reviewing medications and supplements, ordering laboratory testing, assessing health risks, discussing treatment options, and determining whether additional evaluation or specialist care is needed.

Where naturopathic physicians may differ is often in the breadth of factors considered when developing the treatment plan.

In addition to the immediate medical problem, an NMD may spend more time examining nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, metabolic health, medications, environmental exposures, family history, preventive health, and other factors that may influence the patient's condition.

The goal is not simply to use a “natural” treatment instead of a conventional one. The goal should be to determine what approach is medically appropriate for the individual patient.

1. Evaluate Symptoms and Diagnose Medical Conditions

One of the fundamental responsibilities of a licensed naturopathic physician is medical evaluation.

When a patient presents with a symptom such as fatigue, abdominal discomfort, headaches, weight changes, urinary symptoms, joint pain, sleep difficulties, or hormonal concerns, the first step should not automatically be a supplement or treatment.

The physician first needs to determine what may be causing the symptom.

That can involve:

• A detailed medical history

• Review of current and previous symptoms

• Medication and supplement review

• Family medical history

• Review of previous laboratory tests and imaging

• Physical examination when appropriate

• Assessment of relevant risk factors

• Development of a differential diagnosis

Further laboratory testing, imaging, specialist consultation, or other diagnostic evaluation may be necessary before treatment is appropriate.

This diagnostic process is one reason the distinction between a licensed naturopathic physician and an unlicensed wellness practitioner matters.

Arizona law specifically includes diagnosing and treating medical conditions within the statutory definition of naturopathic medical practice.

2. Order and Interpret Laboratory Testing

Laboratory testing can be an important part of naturopathic medical care.

Depending on the patient's symptoms and health history, a naturopathic physician may order routine laboratory studies such as:

• Complete blood counts

• Metabolic panels

• Lipid testing

• Blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c

• Thyroid testing

• Iron studies

• Vitamin levels

• Hormone testing

• Urinalysis

• Other clinically appropriate laboratory studies

The purpose of laboratory testing is not simply to collect as much data as possible.

Good medical decision-making requires selecting tests that have a reasonable clinical purpose and then interpreting the results in the context of the patient's symptoms, medical history, medications, physical findings, and risk factors.

You can learn more in our Routine Laboratory Testing resources.

Some naturopathic physicians also use more specialized laboratory testing when there is a reasonable clinical indication. These tests should be selected thoughtfully, particularly because the clinical usefulness and strength of evidence can vary substantially among specialized panels.

3. Develop an Individualized Treatment Plan

Once the clinical picture is better understood, the physician can develop a treatment plan.

This is where naturopathic medicine tends to emphasize individualized care.

Two people with the same diagnosis may have very different medical histories, risk factors, medications, nutritional patterns, lifestyles, treatment preferences, and health goals.

Treatment may therefore include several approaches rather than a single intervention.

Depending on the patient, a plan might involve:

• Monitoring without immediate treatment

• Nutrition changes

• Exercise recommendations

• Sleep improvement

• Stress-management strategies

• Weight management

• Prescription medication

• Appropriate supplements

• Evidence-informed natural therapies

• Physical or office-based treatments

• Additional testing

• Referral to another healthcare professional

At Ask Dr. Hu, our approach is to consider both conventional and naturopathic options rather than assuming that one category of treatment is automatically better than another.

You can see more about our approach to naturopathic and individualized medical services.

4. Provide Preventive Healthcare

Naturopathic medicine traditionally places significant emphasis on prevention.

Rather than waiting until a medical problem becomes severe, a physician may help patients identify risk factors and make changes earlier.

Preventive care may involve reviewing:

• Blood pressure

• Cholesterol

• Blood sugar

• Body composition and metabolic health

• Family medical history

• Cardiovascular risk

• Cancer screening

• Bone health

• Nutrition

• Exercise

• Sleep

• Tobacco or alcohol use

• Age-appropriate screening recommendations

Prevention does not guarantee that illness can be avoided, but identifying modifiable risks earlier can create opportunities to improve long-term health.

Patients interested in this approach can learn more about our Preventive Care & Health Optimization services.

5. Address Nutrition and Lifestyle Factors

Nutrition and lifestyle counseling are often important components of naturopathic medical visits.

That does not mean every illness is caused by diet or can be cured by lifestyle changes.

Some medical conditions require medications, procedures, surgery, specialist treatment, or other conventional interventions.

However, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, alcohol use, tobacco exposure, and body weight can meaningfully influence many aspects of health.

A naturopathic physician may therefore help a patient determine which lifestyle changes are actually relevant rather than providing the same generic advice to everyone.

For one patient, the priority may be improving blood glucose.

For another, it may be increasing resistance training, improving protein intake, addressing sleep deprivation, reducing cardiovascular risk, or developing a sustainable weight-management strategy.

The recommendations should fit the individual's medical situation and daily life.

6. Prescribe and Manage Medications When Appropriate

Another common misconception is that naturopathic physicians never use prescription medication.

That is not necessarily true.

Prescribing authority varies substantially by jurisdiction. In Arizona, naturopathic medical practice includes the use of drugs within the scope established by state law, with additional requirements and restrictions applying to particular medications, substances, and procedures.

A naturopathic physician may therefore determine that medication is appropriate when the expected benefits outweigh the risks and the treatment falls within the physician's legal scope and clinical competence.

Similarly, an NMD may review medications that a patient is already taking and consider issues such as effectiveness, adverse effects, interactions, monitoring requirements, and whether the medication continues to serve an appropriate purpose.

“Natural whenever possible” should not mean refusing a necessary medication.

The more useful question is:

What is the safest and most appropriate treatment for this particular patient?

7. Recommend Evidence-Informed Natural Therapies

Natural therapies can also play a role in naturopathic medicine.

Depending on the clinical situation, recommendations may involve nutritional strategies, selected dietary supplements, botanical preparations, physical therapies, or other naturopathic approaches.

However, the word natural does not automatically mean safe or effective.

Supplements and botanical products can cause adverse effects, interact with medications, affect laboratory testing, or be inappropriate for certain medical conditions.

The evidence supporting natural therapies also varies widely.

Some interventions have substantial research behind them. Others have limited, conflicting, or preliminary evidence.

A responsible physician should consider the strength of available evidence, expected benefit, potential risk, treatment alternatives, cost, and the individual patient's circumstances before recommending a therapy.

8. Help Manage Chronic Health Conditions

Some naturopathic physicians provide ongoing care for patients with chronic medical concerns.

Depending on the physician's practice and the patient's needs, this may include conditions involving:

• Metabolic health

• Blood pressure

• Cholesterol

• Thyroid function

• Weight management

• Hormonal concerns

• Digestive symptoms

• Musculoskeletal pain

• Sleep

• Fatigue

• Other ongoing health concerns

Chronic disease management often requires more than a single intervention.

A physician may need to monitor symptoms, laboratory values, medications, lifestyle factors, treatment response, and changes in the patient's overall health over time.

When a condition requires specialist expertise, hospital-based treatment, surgery, or another service outside the naturopathic physician's scope, appropriate referral and coordination become part of responsible care.

9. Coordinate Care and Refer to Specialists

A naturopathic physician should recognize when another healthcare professional needs to become involved.

Patients may require evaluation from a cardiologist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, dermatologist, orthopedic surgeon, oncologist, psychiatrist, physical therapist, dietitian, or another specialist.

The role of the naturopathic physician may then include:

• Identifying when referral is appropriate

• Providing the relevant clinical history

• Reviewing specialist recommendations

• Reviewing outside medical records

• Helping the patient understand the treatment plan

• Monitoring relevant laboratory results

• Coordinating ongoing care

Good healthcare should not require patients to choose between naturopathic medicine and the rest of the healthcare system.

These approaches can work alongside one another when communication and appropriate clinical judgment are maintained.

10. Educate Patients and Support Shared Decision-Making

Another important role of a physician is education.

Patients deserve to understand what their diagnosis means, why a test is being ordered, what treatment options exist, what the potential benefits and risks are, and when follow-up is necessary.

This is particularly important when several reasonable treatment options are available.

A physician can provide medical recommendations, but patients ultimately need enough information to participate meaningfully in decisions about their health.

Longer appointments can make these conversations easier, which is one reason some patients choose a concierge medicine membership when they want ongoing physician access and greater continuity of care.

Is an NMD the Same as a “Naturopath”?

Not necessarily.

This distinction is important.

The terms naturopath, naturopathic practitioner, natural health practitioner, and similar titles may be used differently depending on the jurisdiction.

A person offering natural-health advice may not necessarily have attended an accredited doctoral naturopathic medical program, passed licensing examinations, or hold a state medical license.

By contrast, a licensed naturopathic physician practices under the requirements of the jurisdiction where that physician is licensed.

Before choosing a provider, patients should verify:

• The person's professional degree

• The institution where the degree was earned

• Whether the program qualifies graduates for professional licensure

• Whether the provider holds an active state license

• Whether the provider has relevant training for the care being requested

• Whether there are any limitations on the provider's scope of practice

Arizona patients can verify naturopathic physician licensing information through the Arizona Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board.

What Is the Difference Between an NMD and an MD or DO?

NMDs, MDs, and DOs complete different medical education pathways and are licensed under different professional statutes.

There is overlap in areas such as biomedical sciences, medical history-taking, physical examination, diagnosis, laboratory interpretation, pharmacology, preventive care, and patient management, but the curricula, postgraduate training requirements, licensing examinations, and legal scopes of practice are not identical.

MD and DO physicians typically complete residency training after medical school as part of their pathway to independent practice and specialty certification.

Residency opportunities also exist within naturopathic medicine, but residency training is not universal among naturopathic physicians.

Naturopathic medical education additionally emphasizes areas such as nutrition, lifestyle medicine, botanical medicine, and other naturopathic therapeutic approaches.

Rather than assuming one type of physician is appropriate for every situation, patients should consider the medical problem, the provider's qualifications, the services needed, and whether specialist or hospital-based care may be required.

Does Every Naturopathic Physician Practice the Same Way?

No.

Two licensed NMDs may practice very differently.

One may focus heavily on primary and preventive care.

Another may focus on women's health, digestive disorders, pain management, sports medicine, mental health, oncology support, physical medicine, or another clinical area.

Some naturopathic physicians primarily use nutrition and lifestyle interventions, while others routinely incorporate prescription medication or office-based procedures within their scope.

Some maintain broad general practices, while others limit their practice to a particular area.

This is one reason patients should evaluate the individual physician, not simply the initials after the physician's name.

You can learn more about the physicians and clinical approach at Ask Dr. Hu on our Meet Our Physicians page.

What Doesn't a Naturopathic Physician Do?

Naturopathic medicine has limitations just like every other area of healthcare.

An NMD should not attempt to manage a condition that requires expertise, equipment, hospitalization, procedures, or treatment outside the physician's legal scope or clinical competence.

Patients experiencing a potentially life-threatening emergency should seek emergency medical care rather than relying on an outpatient naturopathic appointment.

Conditions requiring major surgery, intensive hospital management, highly specialized procedures, or certain specialty treatments should be referred appropriately.

Responsible naturopathic care also means acknowledging when evidence does not support a particular test or treatment.

A physician's role is not to prove that every symptom has an unusual underlying cause or that every patient needs extensive testing, supplements, or alternative treatment.

Sometimes the appropriate recommendation is observation.

Sometimes it is lifestyle change.

Sometimes it is medication.

Sometimes it is additional testing.

And sometimes it is referral to another healthcare professional.

What Should You Expect During a Naturopathic Medical Appointment?

A comprehensive naturopathic appointment often begins with a detailed conversation about why you are seeking care.

Your physician may ask about your:

• Current symptoms

• Previous diagnoses

• Medical and surgical history

• Medications

• Supplements

• Allergies

• Family history

• Nutrition

• Physical activity

• Sleep

• Stress

• Substance use

• Previous laboratory and imaging results

• Preventive screening history

• Personal health goals

Depending on the concern, the next step may include physical examination, laboratory testing, review of outside medical records, medication management, lifestyle recommendations, treatment, referral, or follow-up monitoring.

The objective should be to understand enough of the clinical picture to make a thoughtful decision rather than rushing directly to treatment.

Who Might Consider Seeing a Naturopathic Physician?

A licensed naturopathic physician may appeal to patients who want a healthcare approach that gives substantial attention to prevention, lifestyle, nutrition, individualized treatment, and patient education while still using conventional diagnostic and medical tools when appropriate.

Patients may particularly appreciate naturopathic care when they want more time to discuss:

• Multiple interconnected health concerns

• Preventive healthcare

• Nutrition and lifestyle changes

• Long-term health optimization

• Chronic conditions

• Medication and supplement questions

• Laboratory results

• Different available treatment options

The right choice ultimately depends on the patient's healthcare needs and the individual physician's qualifications.

How Do You Choose a Qualified Naturopathic Physician?

Before establishing care, verify that the physician holds an active license in the state where you will receive care.

It can also be helpful to ask what the physician commonly treats, how treatment decisions are made, whether conventional medical treatment is used when appropriate, how emergencies are handled, and when the physician refers patients to specialists.

Patients should feel comfortable asking why a particular laboratory test, supplement, medication, or treatment has been recommended.

A trustworthy physician should be willing to explain both the potential benefits and the limitations of a recommendation.

The Bottom Line

So, what does a licensed naturopathic physician do?

A licensed NMD evaluates patients, develops diagnoses, uses appropriate diagnostic testing, provides preventive care, discusses nutrition and lifestyle, considers conventional and naturopathic treatments, manages medications when appropriate and legally permitted, monitors ongoing health concerns, educates patients, and coordinates with other healthcare professionals when additional expertise is needed.

What distinguishes naturopathic medicine is not simply the use of natural therapies.

It is an approach to healthcare that often places substantial emphasis on understanding the whole clinical picture, prevention, individualized treatment, lifestyle factors, patient education, and thoughtful consideration of multiple therapeutic options.

In Arizona, naturopathic physicians are licensed healthcare professionals whose practice is regulated by state law.

If you would like to explore the topic further, visit our Naturopathic Medicine Resource Center or read What Is Naturopathic Medicine? A Complete Guide for Arizona Patients.

Medical Accuracy & Editorial Standards

This article was written and medically reviewed by an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician for patient education.

Information regarding naturopathic physician licensing, education, and scope was reviewed using authoritative professional and regulatory sources, including the Arizona Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board, Arizona Revised Statutes governing naturopathic medicine, the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education, and the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners.

Naturopathic physician scope of practice varies by jurisdiction and may change over time. Individual physicians may also limit their practices according to their education, training, experience, certifications, and clinical focus.

This article is intended for general educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice or establish a physician-patient relationship.

About the Author

YiQiu Hu, NMD is an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician and founder of Ask Dr. Hu. He provides concierge medicine, preventive healthcare, health optimization, diagnostic evaluation, laboratory testing, and individualized medical treatment for patients throughout Arizona.

Dr. Hu earned his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from Sonoran University of Health Sciences and his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Northern Arizona University. His clinical interests include preventive healthcare, medical weight management, hormone care, integrative pain management, laboratory testing, and the ongoing management of complex health concerns.

His approach emphasizes thorough evaluation, evidence-informed medical decision-making, clear patient education, and thoughtful integration of conventional and naturopathic treatment options when appropriate.

Learn more about Dr. YiQiu Hu and the physicians at Ask Dr. Hu →

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