The following information has been supplied by the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM),  the Ontario Homeopathic Association (OHA), the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine (OCHM).

Naturopaths that graduate from the CCNM, study the following modalities in a time period of four years:

1.) Traditional Chinese Medicine: This includes acupuncture and herbal medicine 

3.) Homeopathy

4.) Hydrotherapy, Pediatrics, Obstetrics etc

5.) Medical Sciences such as Anatomy, Microbiology, Immunology etc

Homeopaths that graduate from the (OCHM) study the following for three to four years

1.) Homeopathy 

2.) Holistic Nutrition

3). Medical sciences such as anatomy, neuroscience, differential diagnosis etc.

Analysis:

I contacted the CCNM personally and asked them specifics for the total number of lecture hours in homeopathy and the total number of clinic hours in homeopathy, an ND receives.

 Year 1:  28 hours in class homeopathic instruction

 Year 2:  84 hours in class homeopathic instruction, 56 practical hours

Year 4:  Internship, prescribe 5 constitutional remedies

Grand total

196 in class instruction hours

56 clinic hours, and 5 remedies must be prescribed

Graduates from an accredited homeopathic college (OCHM) receive the following:

750 hours of classroom instruction over 3 years

1,500 clinic hours (practical hours) over 2 years

At least 50 patients seen with a minimum of 50 remedies prescribed over 2 years

A 100 repeat visits from patients, and a remedy given

240 hours in seminar lectures to top homeopaths around the world

My Opinion:

The public needs to be informed about the differences, they need to be clear, on what it is they are getting or not getting.  Homeopaths really just know homeopathy.  The holistic nutrition homeopaths receive in my opinion is not of the same calibre as naturopaths and neither is their sciences (I am an exception, I have a degree).  However, to support the homeopathic community a little here, the expertise of homeopathic treatment is of a much higher calibre for homeopaths than naturopaths.  This is to be expected as they spend three years studying just homeopathy.  Also some ND's specialize in homeopathy, and some ND's are our best HD's! My advice is that if your heart is set on homeopathy, see a homeopath, or an ND that specializes in homeopathy.

Lindsay Tietz, BSc, HD
Owner Intention to Heal
Homeopathic Medicine Practitioner and Holistic Nutrition Expert
Proudly Serving The Toronto Danforth Area Directly