Here’s the latest news from the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine.
Emergency Medicine Training
Our Connecticut member school, University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine (UBCNM), now offers an emergency medicine course in the first year of the program to emphasize the importance of “thinking like a doctor” from day one. First year students will get complete training in CPR and use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) consistent with AHA Guidelines. Students will also learn the basics of how to identify signs of common primary care emergencies. These include heart attack, TIA (mini-stroke) and stroke, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, seizures, malignant hypertension, insulin shock, hyperglycemia, anaphylactic shock, concussion, broken bones, among others.
Hands-On Naturopathic Clinic
UBCNM features a naturopathic clinic on campus, which is open to the public as well as students, faculty, and staff. Second year students now have patient contact as they implement hydrotherapy protocols, such as steam baths and saunas, as prescribed to patients by 4th year students under the supervision of licensed naturopathic physicians. Hydrotherapy has broad applications, and some of the more common reasons for using hydrotherapy include stimulating the immune system, ridding the body of toxins, stimulating peristalsis, managing stress, as a fever therapy, and for arthritis relief.
Research Lab Renovations
UNBMC is also in the process of renovating their research lab which will be ready in the spring of 2017.
According to Dean Marcia Prenguber, “renovations will allow us to perform a broad range of bench experiments and expand our capacity to conduct clinical trials. We have worked with a variety of plant and nutrition based products, thus far. We plan to expand into more opportunities with the new lab. It will serve as an integrative lab in conjunction with the chiropractic and Traditional Chinese Medicine programs, and the School of Dental Hygiene.”
On the Legislative Front
University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine (UBCNM) continues to be closely involved with legislative efforts on behalf of the naturopathic profession in the state of Connecticut.
UBCNM is actively working with the state of Connecticut regarding expanding the practice of naturopathic medicine. The Public Health Committee in the state legislature has created a sub-committee to study the practice of naturopathy. This committee is evaluating the request to expand the scope of practice to include prescriptive authority (the right to prescribe medicine). The committee is comprised of a variety of disciplines, including several NDs, MDs, and APRNs, and is facilitated by the Section Chief of Practitioner Licensing & Investigations for the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The recommendations from these meetings will go to the Chair of the Public Health Committee, who will make a recommendation to the legislators. The goal is to expand the scope of practice for naturopathic doctors to include prescriptive authority, as well as order X-rays and other medical care that their training encompasses.
Vice President of Health Sciences, Dr. David Brady, pharmacology professor, Dr. José Mahfoud, and Dean of the College of Naturopathic Medicine, Dr. Marcia Prenguber, as well as the President of the Connecticut Naturopathic Physician Association (CNPA), Dr. Rick Liva and the Executive Director of the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), Daniel Seitz, JD, EdD and ND private practitioners, are participating in the interest of scope expansion in addition to a group of medical doctors and advanced practice registered nurses. The meetings are held at the state capital in Hartford with the next meeting scheduled for mid-September.
Dr. JoAnn Yanez, Executive Director of Association of Accredited Naturopathic Colleges commends University of Bridgeport’s political activity and says, “AANMC supports efforts to modernize state scope to the level of instruction that ND students receive. Furthermore we support our graduate’s employment to the fullest scope of their training.”
