Timeline of Council of Naturopathic Medical Education

History of Council of Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME)

• 1978: Council of Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), the Federation of Naturopathic Boards, and the Federation of Naturopathic Colleges were formed during a meeting of National College of Naturopathic Medicine, Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine and John Bastyr College of Naturopathi Medicine, presidents of the non-residential, non-degree granting "naturopathic" programs, select members of the profession and interested influential public members. The purpose was to provide curriculum standardization, a central accreditation body and ongoing unity of naturopathic medicine in North America. The founding naturopathic physicians were: NDs Joe Pizzorno, John Bastyr, R. Boyce, Richard Finley, A.H.W Norton, Cyrus Maxfield, M. Loftin, M. Shelton and Eric Shrubb and Jeffery S. Bland, PhD. This event marked the formal separation between those schools that offered 4-year residential medical education and those schools that offered mail order programs and programs that were not recognized or considered credible by any state or province.
• 1987: CNME is formally recognized by the US Department of Education
• 2000: CNME approval is withdrawn by US Department of Education, but remained the accrediting agency recognized by the national naturopathic associations and the 4-year naturopathic medical program.
• 2003: CNME approval is reinstated by the US Department of Education