abstract: This research explores the socialization and culture of naturopathic students. Naturopathic physicians are a rapidly growing group of health care providers with a different ideology than conventional physicians. At present they work on the margins of the division of labor in health care. Only 15 U.S. states explicitly recognize, regulate, and license their practice, although the number is increasing. Therefore, the professional socialization of naturopathic students is framed within a context of a changing division of labor in health care. The recent growth of naturopathic physicians reflects the American public's increased interest and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, these practitioners are not yet accepted as legitimate physicians by most conventional physicians. This research investigates how the professional socialization of students at a naturopathic medical school prepares them to assume their role as CAM providers in a division of labor that is dominated by conventional physicians. The research examines their choice to attend a naturopathic school, formal and informal socialization at the school, and the student culture. The main research site is a four-year, accredited naturopathic medical school where participant observation, intensive interviews, and a survey were used to collect data. Additional data are presented from observations at a national conference of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Results indicate that the student culture and socialization process at the naturopathic medical school differ in some important ways from the previously documented socialization process at conventional medical schools. The average age of naturopathic students is much older than conventional medical students, and a much larger percentage are women. Unlike conventional medical students, who rely heavily on role models and previous knowledge of what it takes to become a medical doctor, naturopathic students select a career path based on values and beliefs that are more aligned with their own than conventional medicine. The formal and informal training and culture of naturopathic students prepares them to work alongside, rather than within, mainstream medicine. The documentation of how a group of CAM practitioners is created contributes to a better understanding of the ever-changing ideology and division of labor in health care. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Sociology 2011

In response to a need for more primary care physicians and patients' growing attraction to alternative health care, greater numbers of individuals are applying to naturopathic colleges. With increasing numbers of applicants, better methods of predicting potential effectiveness as an N.D. are needed. This study examined factors (both academic and psychosocial) that best predict success in naturopathic school. Demographic, academic, and psychosocial survey data were collected from thirty-three students who had just completed their second year of naturopathic medical school. This information was correlated with scores on the NPLEX Basic Science exams which were taken the following summer. Because of the small sample size, a bootstrap resampling technique was used to produce estimates for a hierarchical regression. Demographic variables (sex, age, whether or not English was the first language) and undergraduate major, explained almost 10% of the variance in Basic Science Exams (BSE) scores; however, none of these variables were significant predictors in the first step of the regression. As predicted, the addition of undergraduate grade point average (GPA) significantly increased the amount of variance accounted for (to 39.9%) in BSE scores. Also as predicted, adding the psychosocial variables to the model increased the amount of variance accounted for to 52%. This addition also made sex a significant predictor, but external locus of control was the only psychosocial variable which was significant in any of the models. The best model contained the psychosocial variables of both internal and external locus of control but not commitment and accounted for 51 % of the variance in BSE scores. Sex, undergraduate GPA, and external locus of control were significant predictors. Results are consistent with previous research using data on students from allopathic medical schools. However, complex relationships exist among the psychosocial variables and between the psychosocial variables and gender. The suppression effect of the psychosocial variables with gender, multicolinearity between the commitment and locus of control variables, and suppression due to common method variance between the internal and external locus of control variables are discussed. Limitations of bootstrap methodology are considered.

Class of 2013 Abstract / Specific Aims: To identify how the field of pharmacy should be advanced in regards to pharmacist education of natural or alternative medicine (NAM) in a fashion that all pharmacists and pharmacy students would have access to. Subjects in this study were experts in the field of NAM. Methods: An online questionnaire asking for expert opinion on ways to educate pharmacists about NAM was made available to experts in the field of NAM. Experts were identified by an internet search of the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association’s (AzNMA) registry of licensed NDs in Arizona, as well as one previously known licensed ND in San Diego. Main Results: The questionnaire was completed by 21 experts, 20 of which identified themselves as licensed NDs. Of the NDs, the average time in practice was 10 years. Sixteen (76%) of the respondents agreed that NAM should be taught in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum with the remaining five (24%) not directly commenting whether or not it should be taught in the PharmD curriculum, but agreeing that pharmacists need to be trained on important NAM. Conclusion: Inclusion of NAM in the PharmD curriculum should be considered being implemented. Information on what resources are available and how to keep up with continued education in this field should also be made available to all students. For current practicing pharmacists there does not appear to be an ideal uniform way of increasing pharmacists’ level of education on NAM, reinforcing the need for inclusion of NAM in the PharmD curriculum.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T14:54:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Adriana Elias Magno da Silva.pdf: 2405394 bytes, checksum: 3c00bb589c8b3d86bacb391e79327fa7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-11-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The Naturopathic knowledge is characterized by a mix of medical fields, eastern, and western healing techniques and philosophies, modern and traditional. It is a phenomenon resulting from the crisis of paradigms of the contemporary world and the need for revision and extension of existing models of medical practice. It presents itself as a transdisciplinary knowledge affiliated with integrative and complementary models of work and health care. This thesis analyzes the structuring process of Brazilian Naturopathic provided transdisciplinary knowledge and practice. It seeks to understand if the Naturopathic favors the reconnection of knowledge and rationality that entails, and if it can be seen as a new approach in healthcare. Theoretical and methodological terms, this thesis is guided by the basis and foundation of the complex thought. The Brazilian academic production of Naturopathic Medicine verifies if and how the incorporation of theoretical and epistemological principles has been processed what allows characterizing it as a concurrently complex, multidisciplinary and comprehensive knowledge. The research analyzes, qualitatively, seventy-one course conclusion works from the only two higher education institutions in Brazil that offer bachelor degree in Naturopathic. The analysis of empirical data confirmed the hypothesis that the Naturopathic knowing and doing are linked to principles and critical paradigms of knowledge and revealed, however, the difficulty that the unorthodox knowledge faces to be accepted and incorporated in the academic field / A Naturologia é um conhecimento caracterizado pela mescla de racionalidades médicas, de filosofias e de técnicas de cura orientais, ocidentais, modernas e tradicionais. É um fenômeno decorrente da crise de paradigmas do mundo contemporâneo e da necessidade de revisão e ampliação dos modelos de prática médica vigentes. Apresenta-se como um conhecimento transdisciplinar filiado a modelos integrativos e complementares de atuação e atenção em saúde. Esta pesquisa analisou o processo de estruturação da Naturologia brasileira na condição de conhecimento e prática transdisciplinar. Procurou entender se a Naturologia favorece a religação de saberes e de racionalidades que comporta, e se ela, realmente, pode ser vista como uma nova abordagem na área da saúde. O trabalho orientou-se a partir do pensamento complexo para delimitar os procedimentos de pesquisa e análise do objeto. Verificou se e como ocorre, na produção acadêmica brasileira de Naturologia, a incorporação dos princípios da transdiciplinaridade, da complexidade e da integralidade que a caracterizam. Como recurso de pesquisa foi analisado, de forma qualitativa, 71 trabalhos de conclusão de curso das duas únicas universidades brasileiras que ofertam curso superior de bacharelado em Naturologia. A análise da empiria confirmou a hipótese de que o saber e o fazer naturológico está ligado a princípios e paradigmas críticos do conhecimento como a transdisciplinaridade, complexidade e integralidade e revelou, na contrapartida, a dificuldade que saberes não ortodoxos enfrentam para serem aceitos e incorporados, no meio acadêmico

Naturopathic medical schools are concerned with low first-time pass rates on the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Exam Part I (NPLEX I) that may impact schools' accreditation with the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). At a North American school of naturopathic medicine first-time pass rates have been a concern for 3 of the last 5 years. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether students' naturopathic basic science content area scores predict NPLEX I scores at this this school. Grounded in general systems theory, a predictive correlational research design utilizing multiple logistic regression analyses was used. Archival data were obtained from the school for students who completed NPLEX I and all basic science courses. For the first model, microbiology, pathologyplus (including pathology and other content), and disease/dysfunction scores were obtained for N = 208 students. For the second model, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and structure/function scores were obtained for N = 256 students. For each model, students' groups of basic science content area final exam scores were analyzed against NPLEX I scores to determine predictive relationships. Results indicated pathologyplus, anatomy, and physiology scores were significant predictors of NPLEX I performance, microbiology and biochemistry were not significant predictors, and students who completed NPLEX I during the August 2015 administration were most likely to earn passing scores on NPLEX I. Based on the findings a position paper was developed recommending curriculum mapping to examine alignment and make all content areas predictive of NPLEX I performance. Positive social change may ensue by increasing the reputation of the schools and profession of naturopathic medicine.