Assessing the Feasibility of Rural Residency Training for Licensed Naturopathic Physicians in the Northwest: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVES: Naturopathic physicians (ND) are uniquely situated to address areas of unmet health care need as primary care providers (PCPs). In several states, NDs have a broad scope of practice and are licensed as independent practitioners regardless of residency training. However, with a larger role in the health care system, the need for post-graduate medical training becomes more important for clinical success and patient safety. Our study aimed at assessing the feasibility of developing residencies for licensed NDs in rural federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) of Oregon and Washington. METHODS: We conducted interviews with leadership from a convenience sample of eight FQHCs. Six centers were rural, two of which already employed NDs. Two urban centers that employed NDs as PCPs were included for their valuable insights related to study design. Two investigators independently reviewed and coded site visit notes for prominent themes through inductive reasoning analysis. RESULTS: Consensus was met identifying the following themes: onboarding and mentorship; diversity of clinical training; financial structure; length of residency; and addressing health care needs in the community. We identified several opportunities for the development of primary care residencies for NDs, including the need for PCPs in rural communities, the ability of NDs to manage chronic pain with prescription drugs, and the prevention of morbidity from complex conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Potential barriers to residency development include lack of Medicare reimbursement, mixed awareness of the ND scope of practice, and scarcity of dedicated mentors. CONCLUSION: These results may serve as guideposts for the future development of naturopathic residencies in rural community health centers.