The Income Of Naturopaths

I remember taking part in an online survey for Naturopathic physicians a few months ago. The survey was directed to evaluate the income and success of Naturopaths.

I came across the results in my inbox the other day and was shocked at the results. Here are some of the unsettling results:

89% are practicing as NDs and 56% are doing something else full or part time (such as teaching or sales).
-I know of many Naturopaths that have graduated and gone to work teaching at massage schools, med-tech schools, doing sales for vitamin companies. Very few Naturopaths practice full time and make a living.

65% are happy or very happy with the profession
-I agree! I wake up every day excited to be doing what I do. I add this so as to not make this too gloomy a post

38% spend 15 or less hours on direct patient care, while 29% spend 31 or more hours on direct patient care.
-This is very telling for our profession, 29% of Naturopaths work full time seeing patients. It seems that most Naturopaths do not have the patient base to support full time work.

47% answered "not really" or "not at all" when asked if they felt medical school prepared them to operate a medical office.
-To this I agree whole heartedly! There are very few jobs available for a Naturopathic physician to practice full time. In order to practice, it is essential to open a practice. The handling of a business, of a medical clinic is complex and confusing. Trying to open a medical clinic and practice medicine at the same time is near impossible.

This section was the most depressing of them all. No one who gets into Naturopathy does it for the money. But lets be fair- on average a Naturopath takes out a $250,000 student loan burden for the privilege of practicing Naturopathic medicine.

According to most student loan calculators that averages to $2000 a month in student loan repayment. A bank recommends your student loan payment should be 8% of your income. That means a Naturopath should be earning $20,000 a month, and 240,000 a year.

Here is the results of the survey:

34% made $30,000 or less
- That means you pay $24,000 of your income to student loans- $6,000 left for you per year.
14% made between $30,000-50,000
15% made between $50,000 and $70,000
9% made between $70,000 and $90,000
10% made between $90,000 and $125,000
12% made over $125,000 last year

These numbers are appalling and depressing. It seems in order to be a Naturopath you either need to:
A- Already have a lot of money
B- Apply for Income Based Repayment
C- Default on your student loans
D- Create a successful practice.

I have 3 small children depending on me so I chose D. I have been lucky and I have developed a thriving practice. Where I would like to say this is the norm, it is not.

Naturopathic Medicine is very effective in the hands of an experienced doctor. I have seen amazing results in my practice, and it has been these results that has brought me more patients.

With the deterioration of America's health why is it we are just scraping by?