From November 9-11, 2012, naturopathic medicine students from across North America will visit National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) for the “Gathering.”  At this unique event, practicing naturopathic physicians and educational leaders in naturopathic medicine – respectfully referred to at the Gathering as “elders” – offer interactive sessions for ND students on topics in naturopathic medicine and philosophy.

The Gathering is hosted each year by a different school selected competitively during a special committee meeting at the previous year’s event. Just as NUHS was chosen at the 2011 event, student groups from other schools will make their pitch to be the host for 2013.

“We were very honored by our selection last year,” says ND student Erica Cooper of NUHS, chair of the university’s Gathering committee. “We really feel that as the newest of the ND programs we have something special to offer.  We’ve chosen the theme ‘Rediscovering our roots: The future of nature cure’in part because so much of naturopathic medicine’s historical roots are here in the Midwest.”

Traditionally, the event has been open to current ND students and guest “elders” only.  This year, however, the NUHS student committee has decided to open registration and attendance to any ND physician. “We have the capacity to host a larger group on our campus. We thought that ND practitioners here in Illinois might enjoy the opportunity to participate.”

The student group planning this year’s event hopes to announce their schedule of speakers and break-out sessions soon. In the meantime they have posted a list of lodging options as well as registration forms on the official event website.

“We are extremely proud of our ND students who are organizing this event, and look forward to hosting students and naturopathic doctors from around the world this November,” says NUHS President James Winterstein.

National University is the only school in the Midwest offering an ND degree program, and while one of the newest naturopathic schools in the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges, it has a unique history as part of naturopathic medicine’s roots.