It is with great honor that the NW Naturopathic Physicians Convention is returning to Oregon. Through the years this annual convention has been held throughout the Northwest in Boise, Calgary, Nanaimo, B.C., Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, and Vancouver, B.C.. This year, after a six year hiatus, it will once again return to Portland, Oregon, USA.
Initiated in 1957 by a handful of doctors in Canada and the NW region of the United States, it is now the longest running Naturopathic convention in the world! The collective effort of the Oregon, Washington and British Columbia associations lead to the first NW convention, marking it as the fountainhead for our modern day profession.
For most young naturopathic doctors in the field today there is a story unknown to them that started in 1955. Our last Naturopathic College, Western States Chiropractic and Naturopathic College, stopped offering a curriculum for an ND degree. Born out of necessity, such was the inception of National College of Naturopathic Medicine. For years, Drs. Gerald Farnsworth and Earl Farnsworth, Joe Boucher, Doug Kirkbride, and others would travel to Portland, Oregon, to teach and train. They traveled the long single road through Canada, down to Seattle, where they would pick up John Bastyr and head south on highway #99. Along with these northern travelers were Drs. Harold Dick and Bill Turska, who would come from the east to teach their specialties. The College was drastically under funded and the NW Convention donated proceeds from the convention to NCNM, contributing to the survival of the College. To this day, the NW convention continues to fund the Naturopathic Medical profession.
While there have been many changes in the political arena of natural health care, this convention remains a non-political entity. The NW Convention remains dedicated to bringing the best possible speakers with clinically relevant material to the practitioners, while promoting camaraderie within the naturopathic profession through a number of social events.
The focus for this coming year has been borne from the ever increasing pollutants that our world has brought upon us. More and more we are experiencing patients with serious diseases, and ever weakening endocrine systems. We have a great line up of dedicated physicians who will speak on treatment related to the toxic effects on endocrine, neurological, dental and obstetrics cases. Learn from some of the most exciting speakers today on topics ranging from our history to today?s most relevant medical concerns. . Come renew your spirit with the spirit of today?s founding naturopathic doctors.
Come renew your spirit with the spirit of today?s founding naturopathic doctors.