Re: Re: Bastyr, NCNM & Canadian College of naturopathic medicine

I used to be a student at CCNM. I decided to go there because it was close to home and the tuition was lower than the US. In retrospect these are not reasons that should factor into choosing a school. Two years later I transferred to a school in the States. That is all I am going to say about that.

I never heard of Bastyr being "new-agey" and I have a bit of experience with that school. My understanding of the basic differences between Bastyr and NCNM is that Bastyr is more allopathic in its aproach to natural medicine and NCNM is more "old school". These are the only two schools I would consider attending if I were applying now.

I know it is very difficult to get information about the schools. Even talking to the students at each school does not really help because, not having attended another naturopathic school, they have nothing to compare their experience to. What I would do is contact Bastyr or NCNM and ask if there is a transfer student you can talk to. See what schools they left and why and if they feel they made the right decision. They are the only ones who can give you any real detail on what the true differences are between the schools you are considering.

There is one thing to keep in mind when you compare education in the US and Canada. One has to get additional education/certification in the States to practice acupuncture. It is not part of our license as it is in Canada. If you get a "diploma" in Canada you can't practice acupunture in the States. You would still have to go back to school.

One more thing. Talk to NDs where you plan to practice. See how well they are doing. It can take a while in some locations to build a practice. School loans can range from $500 to $950 a month for 30 years depending on how much you borrow. Though a worthwhile and admirable profession if you are not careful in your research it can be a huge finacial risk.

These are things I wish someone had told me years ago. I had to learn the hard way.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Post New Reply

Name/Nickname:
Subject:
Message:
Enter combination shown above: