Dr. Samantha Brody
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are licensed physicians. In short, you can see our physicians for everything from the flu to chronic pain to menopause. Here are some additional examples of some of the conditions we treat. Just like allopathic doctors, NDs in Oregon refer for lab tests or x-rays, prescribe (some) medications, and refer to a specialist when necessary.
There are, however, several important things that differentiate what we do from the typical allopathic physician.
- Naturopathic doctors emphasize using therapeutic methods that strengthen and act in harmony with the body’s self-healing ability. Six principals of healing form the foundation for naturopathic medical practice.
- Naturopathic medicine draws on the proven medical experiences of various cultures and integrates these with modern scientific research.
- Naturopathic philosophy maintains that an underlying cause exists behind all disease and manifestation of symptoms. Therefore, the naturopathic physician seeks to: 1) address the underlying cause of illness; 2) restore the body back to health using effective, safe, and natural measures; and 3) educate the patient on how to take an active role in his or her own health and well being.
- Most naturopathic physicians will spend significantly more time with each patient than an allopathic doctor. The average doctor visit in the U.S., for example, is about seven minutes. Typically allopathic doctors will only stay in the room long enough to get information on the most current problem. See What to Expect.
- Naturopathic physicians can treat many conditions that may not respond well to allopathic medicine such as colds, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Dr. Brody and her team have a wide variety of treatment methods at their disposal. This is one of the things that differentiates naturopathic medicine and acupuncture from allopathic medicine. Treatment plans are tailor made for the individual and may include any of the following:
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Naturopathic Physician Training
After pre-medical training, Naturopathic physicians must complete medical school at an accredited institution, where they graduate with a doctoral degree, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND). Naturopathic physicians are trained in basic medical and clinical sciences, physical and clinical diagnosis, and Naturopathic philosophy and therapeutics. In Oregon, Naturopathic candidates must pass a board licensing examination, and then they are licensed to practice primary care medicine. See Dr. Brody’s education and training.
Naturopathic Medical Training includes all of the same basic course work as traditional medical schools, with a few exceptions. Naturopathic students study only minor surgery, and their pharmacology focus is on naturally-derived medicines, which they can prescribe in the state of Oregon.
Basic and Clinical Sciences:
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