Naturopathic medical school programs face uncertain future

The emerging field of naturopathic medicine may soon face an existential threat as the primary accrediting body for university programs.

Last week, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity voted 12-0 against reauthorizing the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education, citing concerns about student outcomes at member institutions. Although the vote is advisory and the final decision rests with the Department of Education, the possibility of the CNME losing recognition from the federal government would have far-reaching implications for the small sector. The CNME is the only federally recognized accrediting body for naturopathic medicine and has six member institutions, including one in Canada.

Some of these member institutions offer little more than naturopathic medicine, and a large portion of their academic portfolio could lose accreditation if CNME accreditation is denied. These universities and their advocates are now watching and waiting as the ED mulls its decision. While the loss of recognition would not cut off the flow of federal funding, it would be a serious blow to the reputation of naturopathic programs at a time when the field is growing amid increased interest in alternative medical approaches.

If the Education Department decides to end CNME’s accreditation, it would be the first casualty of the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the accreditation system, which officials argue fails to hold universities accountable for erratic student performance and soaring educational debt.

uncertain future

ED staff recommended prior to the meeting that accreditors be given 12 months to comply with various concerns raised in the report, but the advisory panel disagreed. NACIQI members particularly took issue with CNME’s assertion that it blamed student demographics for poor student performance at member institutions.

Daniel Seitz, executive director and CNME’s only full-time employee, told NACIQI last week that most students in accredited naturopathic programs are adults with competing priorities such as work and family life, which is why the licensure exam pass rate is subpar. (CNME standards require a 70% pass rate on the naturopathic medical license exam, but some members fall below that standard.)

However, NACIQI members did not accept that explanation from Mr. Seitz.

In their motion to deny renewal of accreditation, NACIQI members wrote that CNME “fundamentally undermined its integrity as a trusted authority on educational quality by publicly citing student demographics as a justification for substandard program outcomes.”

Seitz did not respond to requests for comment. Inside higher education. Of the six CNME member institutions (Bastyr University, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, National University of Health Sciences, National University of Natural Medicine, Sonora University of Health Sciences, and Ana G. Mendez University), only Bastyr University responded.

Officials wrote in an email that the CNME’s Shaw Cause sanctions against the university last May helped the university turn around, returning to positive net revenue and “refocusing on academic excellence.” But Bastille officials did not say how the potential loss of federal approval would affect their program.

The university’s statement said the program’s benefits should be measured in other ways than debt or revenue.

“Surveys of our graduates consistently show high levels of job satisfaction,” the statement said. “When we met, [naturopathic doctors] From those nearing the end of their careers or those who have recently retired, we hear stories of fulfilling careers, fulfilling lives, and memories of the joy they found in healing others and serving those in their communities. ”

As of Tuesday, the CNME had not posted information about NACIQI’s decision on its website. None of the member institutions appear to have issued a public statement on the matter. Instead, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges appear to be speaking on behalf of the field.

“While we understand this news is worrying, it is important to emphasize that today’s vote is not the final decision,” the organizations said in a joint statement posted online last week, stressing that the CNME still has the right to appeal and other ways to potentially resist.

“Today’s recommendations have no immediate impact on our school’s accreditation, the validity of our degrees, our students’ financial aid status, or their ability to take the NPLEX or obtain licensure,” the schools said in a joint statement.

The organizations added that the sector “has navigated complex regulatory environments before” and is “ready to do so again” to explore “all available options to ensure the stability and integrity of the naturopathic health profession.”

What’s next?

If the CNME loses recognition, the process would take months. But loss of recognition is rare.

said Claire McCann, managing director of policy at American University’s Center for Postsecondary Education and Economic Research and a former Department of Education official. Inside higher education The ED said in an email that it has other options that could stop an accreditation agency short of stripping it of its accreditation, including “the ability to impose more temporary and potentially less effective restrictions or suspensions.”

And in some cases, fights over federal recognition have been going on for years.

The most recent precedent for derecognition is the Accreditation Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. ED first discontinued the agency’s accreditation in 2016, citing consumer protection concerns, but the accreditation was reinstated by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term. ED ultimately terminated federal recognition of ACICS in 2022 under the Biden administration.

Member institutions then took up to 18 months to find another accreditor, while dozens of institutions subsequently closed.

If CNME suffers the same fate as ACICS, its member institutions could theoretically move to other program accrediting bodies, explained Sligo Law Group partner Emily Meloli. However, the CNME is the nation’s only accreditor of naturopathic medical programs, meaning another entity will need to expand its scope of services to fill any potential gaps.

“There is a question of whether these agencies are in a position to expand their scope, and whether that is something that is reasonably practicable and can provide quality assurance, and whether they can do it in sufficient time to allow for accreditation of these programs, and that will certainly be an issue between the agencies and the department,” Melloli said.

Doctor’s reaction

Concerns about the accreditation of naturopathic medical programs come at a time when the field appears poised for growth. In 2010, only 15 states licensed naturopathic doctors. That number has since grown to 23 states, according to AANMC. Lawmakers in several states are considering approving ND, including Florida, which recently passed licensing legislation. Bills have also been proposed in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is also an advocate of alternative medical approaches, as well as the field of naturopathic medicine. (However, industry advocates say recent graduate loan caps passed in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will likely reduce enrollment in naturopathy programs.)

Although the CNME and its six member institutions have not publicly considered the potential impact of losing federal recognition, naturopathic students and practitioners argued at last week’s NACIQI conference that such a decision would have devastating consequences for patients.

Emily Hudson, a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians Board of Directors, said at the conference, “As clinical naturopathic physicians, we deeply value that our profession is held to standards recognized in a crowded, holistic marketplace.” “CNME accreditation helps patients identify providers that are actually providing standardized training. CNME continuing accreditation supports not only education, but patient protection and the continued growth of a profession that is sought after by more Americans each year.”

But for CNME’s critics, last week’s vote provided much-needed accountability.

Ryan Hofer, a licensed naturopathic physician in Oregon, who graduated from the National College of Natural Medicine last year, writes: Debt due to natural causes was one of several people to voice concerns about accreditors at the NACIQI conference.

Hofer cited concerns about low NPLEX pass rates, a lack of accountability, and the debt burden of graduates. With accrediting bodies currently teetering, he hopes this will encourage evaluation of naturopathy programs.

“Rather than whitewash our collective problems and lead more students into situations that are horribly and financially detrimental to their health and well-being, I hope that the ND professional community will think deeply about how we hold ourselves accountable to consensus standards based on outside expertise,” Hofer wrote. Inside higher education.