Degree selection: Naturopathy or Nutritional Medicine?!

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Naturopathy covers the widest base and includes nutritional science as well -- way beyond what they teach at regular med. schools where they seldom get even one lecture on nutrition anymore. Conventional dieticians are still bound up in protein, carbs, fats and RDA levels of vitamins -- they're living in the distant past (which explains why a lot of dieticians in hospitals will give diabetic patients Jello).
It's always better to pursue something that ignites your passion. Talk to some Naturopaths and do some personal research.
Of course the anti-naturopathy shills will run down anything that doesn't fit their narrow little mind sets and the propaganda of the pseudoskeptic websites that always plug the industrial agenda.

Go for whatever you enjoy (or can tolerate) that pays the most money.

We're rolling into a double-dip recession; jobs are scarce across-the-board, and as the economy continues to sputter, demand for fluffy-puff vocations is going to drop like a rock.

If I were you, I'd go with media/marketing, as it's a more promising field than Chakra Alignment and will always have some baseline demand. Once you've paid off your student loans and work your way into financial security, you can pursue homopathy, naturopathy, Postmodern Heterosexism in World of Warcraft, or whatever.

'Nutritionist' is not a protected term; anyone can call themselves a nutritionist and the industry is rife with quackery, like naturopathy. A dietitian is the way to go. In Australia you can become an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) via university courses accredited by the DAA (Dietitians Association of Australia).

Here you go: http://www.daa.asn.au/

PS: In Australia, naturopaths are NOT primary care physicians and again the term in not a protected title. Anyone can call themselves a naturopath.

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EDIT: Hi Rhianna, thanks for the concern - cyclone Yasi hit about 1300kms north of where I am in Brisbane, same State though. We are still recovering from the massive flooding in Brisbane last month however. I stayed high and dry thankfully.

Dietitian

That's a real, genuine medical profession. There is too much woo in the other two careers you mentioned.

Edit: Hey Gary, are you OK? That's some weather you guys are experiencing at the moment.


Has anyone seen Nate? :) Can someone say hi to him for me. I need to go to bed. Night everyone

You should absolutely follow your passion, if you have the means to there's no excuse not to. You definitely don't want to wake up one day years from and wonder.

Dietitian is the right choice.

Sorry I missed you, Rhianna. :(

Goodnight.

Naturopathic medicine requires all the same pre-requisites as medical school (at least in Canada and the US.) So you'd be looking at going back for at *least* 2 years of undergraduate sciences before you could apply for a qualified ND program. And then the ND program is minimum 4 years, as well.

NOTE: There are *NO* legitimate distance learning institutions for naturopathic medicine. Check this link for more information on legitimate naturopathic medical training: http://www.naturopathic.org/content.asp?…

As for scope of practice... definitely wider scope in naturopathic medicine; we're primary care physicians. (Dietetics is a fairly common undergrad among NDs. We actually had a phD in nutrition in my grad class.) The differences are numerous and profound.

Is it crazy? Only you can answer that! It's a lot of work, a lot of money and a LOT of commitment. For me, it was absolutely worth it to love love LOVE what I do every day. :)
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That you're from Australia does change things. The training is not the same, and the scope of practice is not the same... (ie: NOT primary care.)

Dietetics is, I believed, recognized in all "western" countries. (Cannot speak to other countries, because frankly I have no idea.) And the scope consists mainly of constructing therapeutic diet guidelines/plans for people diagnosed (by MDs) with a variety of conditions ranging from heart problems through obesity and diabetes.

I know a few naturopaths from Austrailia. Their training tends to be somewhat more focused on "traditional" healing methods and "energy medicine" (mind-body connection.) There's less physiology and pharmacology involved. Still lots to offer, but different. And certainly treatment would ideally be more adjunctive in nature.

naturopathic doctor