Public Comment Notice

Proposed Changes to CNME Standards to Allow for Clinical Training in the Context of Private Practice Settings

At its meeting on October 30 – 31, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (“CNME”) approved several proposed revisions and additions to CNME accreditation standards and definitions of terminology as follows:

• A revision of Standard VI (“Program of Study”), Part C (“Clinical Education Component”), that would allow for student-interns to complete a portion of their required clinical training in private practitioner offices, including the treatment of patients (currently, students are only allowed to get credit for observation in private practitioner offices);
• A revision of the definition of the term “residential” and an added definition for the term “clinical supervisor” to be consistent with the above proposed revision to the clinical education standard.
• Another revision to Standard VI, Part C, that would allow for use of “peer-assisted learning,” along with the addition of a new terminology definition.

The comment period runs from December 1, 2025, until January 31, 2026.Please use the form on this page to submit comments.

To submit comments by mail, send them to:
Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
PO Box 178
Great Barrington, MA 01230