Quick answer: Functional medicine is an approach that looks at how the body’s systems interact, while naturopathic medicine is a licensed profession in Maryland. The two overlap a great deal in practice, and the main differences are training, licensing and what each practitioner is legally able to offer, such as managing prescriptions.
Key takeaways
Functional medicine is an approach that looks at how the body’s systems interact, while naturopathic medicine is a licensed profession.
In practice the two overlap a great deal, since many naturopathic doctors work in a very functional way.
A functional medicine physician may suit people who want prescriptions managed in the same practice, while a naturopathic doctor may suit those who want more time alongside their primary care provider.
Functional medicine and naturopathic medicine are often mentioned together, and in many practices they look similar from the outside. Both take a systems-based view of health, both spend time on history and lifestyle, and both use lab testing when it helps. The differences are in training, licensing, and what each practitioner is legally able to offer. This article explains those differences for people in Maryland who are deciding where to start.
What functional medicine is
Functional medicine is an approach, not a license. It asks how the body’s systems interact and looks for patterns that connect symptoms, history, and lab results. A functional medicine visit typically includes a detailed timeline of your health, questions about sleep, stress, diet, and environment, and a plan built around those factors.
Because it is an approach, many different clinicians use it, including medical doctors, osteopathic doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, chiropractors, dietitians, and naturopathic doctors. Some complete additional functional medicine certification programs, which are educational courses rather than state licenses. What a functional medicine practitioner can legally do depends entirely on their underlying license.
What naturopathic medicine is
Naturopathic medicine is a licensed profession in Maryland. Naturopathic doctors complete a four-year accredited doctoral program, pass the NPLEX board exams, and are licensed by the Maryland Board of Physicians. Their training emphasizes clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, lifestyle counseling, physical medicine, and the same basic and clinical sciences that support any medical education.
Maryland law spells out their scope. Naturopathic doctors can order and perform physical exams and lab testing, order imaging and read the reports, recommend natural medicines such as nutrients, botanicals, and dietary supplements, and provide health education and counseling. They cannot prescribe prescription drugs outside a narrow formulary, they do not serve as primary care providers, and they must maintain a collaboration and consultation agreement with a Maryland physician. The guide to naturopathic doctors in Maryland covers this in more detail with links to the statute.
How the two overlap
In practice, a naturopathic doctor often works in a very functional way. At Move Forward Natural Health, Dr. Kneessi uses functional thinking every day by looking at how stress hormones, thyroid signaling, blood sugar, digestion, and sleep influence one another, and research has linked each of these systems to the others. The guide to functional lab testing and articles on markers such as cortisol patterns and reverse T3 show how that thinking is applied.
So the real question is usually not functional versus naturopathic. It is which licensed clinician, using a functional approach, best fits what you need.
When a functional medicine physician may be the better fit
If you need prescription medication managed within the same practice, want your care billed to insurance where possible, or need a clinician who can serve as your primary care provider, a medical doctor or osteopathic doctor who practices functional medicine may be the better first stop. Some of these practices are in-network with insurance, while many are cash-based.
When a naturopathic doctor may be the better fit
If you already have a primary care provider and want more time to understand your history, lab results, nutrition, and daily habits, a naturopathic doctor can be an excellent addition. Naturopathic doctors often spend longer with each patient, focus heavily on education, and are comfortable working alongside your other doctors. Many people also appreciate the emphasis on food, sleep, movement, and targeted nutrients as the foundation of a plan.
Cost and insurance in Maryland
Costs vary widely. Functional medicine physician practices range from insurance-based visits to premium memberships. Naturopathic doctors in Maryland are not currently able to contract with insurance companies, so visits are usually paid directly, sometimes with HSA or FSA funds. Specialty lab panels are often a separate cost in either setting, so it is worth asking about testing costs before anything is ordered.
A simple way to compare practitioners
Whichever route you consider, the same few questions help. Ask what license the clinician holds and look it up, ask how they decide when testing is worthwhile, and ask how they will communicate with your other doctors. It also helps to ask what a typical first three months look like in terms of visits, testing, and cost, so you can compare options on equal terms.
Finally, notice whether the explanations make sense to you. A good functional or naturopathic clinician should be able to describe the reasoning behind each recommendation in plain language, including what the research does and does not show, and should be comfortable saying when something is outside their scope.
If you want to compare options across the state, the page on finding a functional medicine doctor in Maryland explains who offers functional medicine here and how to check a license, and the naturopathic doctor in Maryland page explains how naturopathic doctors are licensed and how video visits work anywhere in Maryland.
Getting started
If you are unsure which route fits, a short conversation can help. The free 15-minute consult at Move Forward Natural Health is a chance to describe your goals and ask whether a naturopathic, functional approach makes sense for you. For a no-pressure introduction, the free 28-Day Reset for Energy and Focus offers a month of short daily lessons on foundational habits.
Move Forward Natural Health is based in Odenton and works with people from across Anne Arundel County and the rest of Maryland. You can read more about visits for Annapolis, Odenton, Crofton, and Severna Park, or about functional medicine and hormone testing in the area.
What the research shows
Research on naturopathic care as a whole is limited, but one of the larger trials is a 2013 study by Seely and colleagues. Canadian postal workers aged 25 to 65 with higher heart risk received either usual care from their family doctor or usual care plus seven visits with a licensed naturopathic doctor over a year. Of 246 people randomized, 207 finished. The naturopathic group’s estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk was 7.74% compared with 10.81% in the usual-care group, and metabolic syndrome was less common (31.58% versus 48.48%). The study was not blinded and measured risk scores rather than actual heart events.
Comparable trials of functional medicine are scarce, so for either approach the most useful questions are about training, licensing, and how a practitioner coordinates with your primary care doctor.
See whether a naturopathic approach fits you
In office in Odenton, MD or by telehealth anywhere in Maryland. Prefer to learn first? Try the free 28-Day Reset for Energy and Focus.
Questions to bring to your clinician
These questions can help you get the most out of your next visit.
Which approach fits what I am looking for, and how would you work with my other doctors?
How is naturopathic care different from what I get from my primary care doctor?
Which parts of my health would be a good fit for a naturopathic approach?
How do you work alongside my other providers when we share care?
Frequently asked questions
Is functional medicine the same as naturopathic medicine?
No. Functional medicine is an approach that many clinicians use, while naturopathic medicine is a licensed profession in Maryland. A naturopathic doctor can practice functionally, but so can medical doctors and other licensed clinicians.
Are functional medicine doctors licensed in Maryland?
There is no separate functional medicine license in Maryland. A functional medicine practitioner is licensed in their underlying profession, such as medicine, osteopathy, nursing, or naturopathic medicine.
Can a naturopathic doctor order lab tests in Maryland?
Yes. Maryland law allows naturopathic doctors to order and perform laboratory examinations consistent with their education and training.
Which is better for hormone or thyroid questions?
Either can be helpful depending on whether you need prescription management. Many people start with education and testing, and the page on hormone testing explains what is commonly checked.
Does insurance cover functional medicine in Maryland?
Sometimes, depending on the clinician’s license and network status. Naturopathic doctors in Maryland are not currently able to contract with insurers, so their visits are usually paid directly.
Sources
- Seely D, Szczurko O, Cooley K, et al. Naturopathic medicine for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: a randomized clinical trial. CMAJ 2013. PMID: 23630244. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23630244/
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not replace an individual evaluation by your own healthcare provider. Licensing rules can change, so check the Maryland Board of Physicians for the most current information.
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