Naturopathic Medicine Program Admissions

For general information on the admissions process, please refer to the Admissions section in this catalog. The information below refers only to the naturopathic medicine program.  

Required Abilities/Skills for Naturopathic Medicine Program Admission

The following technical guidelines are common to most medical school programs. They ensure that prospective students have the physical and cognitive abilities and sufficient mental and emotional stability to successfully complete the program and perform the required duties of a competent and compassionate naturopathic physician. Although these standards serve to delineate the necessary physical and mental abilities of all candidates, they are not intended to deter any candidate for whom reasonable accommodation will allow the fulfillment of the complete curriculum. Candidates and current students who have questions regarding the technical standards or who believe they may need to request reasonable accommodations(s) in order to meet the standards are encouraged to contact the Student Access and Accommodation Office.

A candidate for the naturopathic medicine degree must be able to demonstrate appropriate observational and communication skills, motor function, intellectual-conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities, and behavioral and social maturity. Technological compensation can be made for some disabilities in certain of these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. 

Observation: The candidate must be able to acquire information from demonstrations and participate in experiments in the basic sciences, including but not limited to microbiologic cultures and microscopic studies of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. A candidate must be able to accurately acquire information from patients and assess findings. They must be able to perform a complete physical examination in order to integrate findings based on this information and to develop an appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan. Observation necessitates the use of vision, hearing, and touch, or the functional equivalent. These can be enhanced by the functional use of the sense of smell.

Communication: A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently with patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications. A candidate must be able to relate effectively and sensitively with patients and family members of all genders, ages, races, life-styles, sexual orientations, and political, cultural and religious backgrounds. Communication can include speech, reading, writing, and electronic communication. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in English with all members of the health care team.

Motor: Candidates should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients of all genders by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers. A candidate must be able to handle medical instruments and equipment with precision and perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. They must be able to respond to emergency situations in a timely manner and provide general and emergency care. They must adhere to universal precaution measures and meet safety standards applicable to outpatient settings and other clinical activities. These activities require some physical mobility, coordination of both gross and fine motor neuromuscular function, and balance and equilibrium.

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: Candidates must have sufficient cognitive (mental) abilities and effective learning techniques to assimilate the detailed and complex information presented in the medical student curriculum. These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis, and memorization. Timely problem solving, a critical skill demanded of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the candidate should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.

Behavioral and Social Attributes: A candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities; the exercise of good judgment; the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients; and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients of all genders, ages, races, life-styles, sexual orientations, and political, cultural and religious backgrounds. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Candidates must be able to accept responsibility for learning; contribute to collaborative, constructive learning environments; accept constructive feedback from others; and take personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are assessed during the admissions and educational processes.

Ethics and Professionalism: Candidates must demonstrate the ability to conduct themselves with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism as expected by patients, peers, faculty, and those in the various health care professions. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to act with integrity and honesty in all interactions, both in the classroom and in clinical settings. In addition, candidates must demonstrate the ability to consistently demonstrate the capacity for accountability and responsibility expected of a physician. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to recognize and avoid acts of plagiarism, cheating, and unethical behavior. They must understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and the ability to function within both the law and ethical standards of the medical profession.  

Overall Preparation

Completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university is required. No specific major is advised. In addition to a strong preparation in the sciences, a broad background in the humanities and liberal arts is encouraged. Prerequisite coursework is used to determine a student’s preparation for the naturopathic program. No credit is given for prerequisite coursework earning a C- or lower. Prerequisite coursework with a grade of P (passing) may not be acceptable in every case. An admissions advisor should be consulted to determine acceptability.  

Admissions Criteria

The Admissions Committee of the naturopathic medicine program determines the processes and procedures that guide the selection of candidates for the naturopathic program. The committee reviews undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) academic records and performance in the required prerequisite courses. The personal statement, resumes, and in-person interviews are also evaluated for evidence of the abilities and skills required of naturopathic physicians. The interview also explores the candidate’s awareness of the practice of naturopathic medicine. Bastyr University’s naturopathic medicine program is academically challenging. While no minimum GPA is specified, the mean GPA for entering students in the last five years has exceeded 3.3 for both overall GPA and prerequisite course GPA.  Qualified applicants who submit complete applications and meet the prerequisites may be invited to interview. 

Naturopathic Medicine Prerequisites

In selecting applicants for admission, the Bastyr University naturopathic medicine program seeks those qualities of motivation, intellect, and character essential to becoming a physician. Applicants are considered on the basis of academic performance, maturity, and demonstrated humanitarian qualities. Work and/or volunteer experience in health care is strongly recommended. Concrete exposure to the practice of naturopathic medicine, by job-shadowing if possible, or by interviews with one or more naturopathic physicians, is a general requirement. 

The following coursework is the minimum required preparation for the study of naturopathic medicine. Applicants may apply with coursework still in progress, but prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation.

Please note: If in doubt about a specific prerequisite, contact an admissions advisor before taking the course.

The admissions office may require a course description or course syllabus to verify content. Descriptions may be emailed, faxed, or sent by regular mail.  

Prerequisites

^{Please note: Required chemistry and biology courses must be intended for science majors.  All courses are subject to review by the admissions committee.}

Strongly Recommended Courses

Though not required for admission, the faculty recommends that students complete biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, and microbiology coursework in addition to the prerequisite requirements. These courses will substantially enhance students’ ability to master the naturopathic course material.  

Other Suggested Courses

Biomedical ethics, medical terminology, public speaking, English composition, and technical writing

Age of Course

Required chemistry and biology courses not taken within seven years of matriculation into the program are subject to review by the Admissions Committee. Additional coursework may be required. Please consult an admissions advisor for additional information.  

Credit by Examination

Applicants may submit AP, IB, and CLEP scores for prerequisite consideration for math, psychology and physics (there is no CLEP exam for physics). Students who have had prior AP coursework in chemistry and biology may submit AP scores for biology or chemistry exams. Students must submit either the original score received directly from the testing center, or a copy of their high school or college transcripts showing the score results. Since so few high school or college transcripts show score results, it may be most expedient to automatically request test scores be sent from the testing center. Decisions regarding credit are assessed on a case-by-case basis. The Admissions Committee reviews test scores within the context of an applicant’s academic history. All equivalency decisions made by the Admissions Committee are final.