A culture of collaboration and acceptance: Socialization processes of naturopathic medical students

Naturopathic medical students attend four-year colleges that prepare students to assume roles as licensed naturopathic physicians through formal training and education based in basic sciences and natural therapeutics. Informal socialization is also an important part of professional education. This paper analyzes the formal education and informal socialization processes of naturopathic medical school. Through in-depth interviews and informal discussions with naturopathic medical students during observations of two quarters of their medical education, the formal training and informal socialization is analyzed. Results indicate informal naturopathic medical socialization is largely centered on acceptance and collaboration with each other, which points to a culture of helpfulness rather than competition. Conclusions based on these findings acknowledge an important step in learning about educational process of naturopathic medical students. Further research endeavors on the culture of the naturopathic medical profession will continue to provide key understandings of a somewhat newly developed profession that is gaining recognition in various North American states and provinces.