ICONIC Board recognizes education pathways across both licensed naturopathic medicine and traditional naturopathy — two distinct practice tracks, each with clear credential tier mappings.
ICONIC Board of Holistic Health recognizes the following naturopathic education pathways as meeting the prerequisite education requirements for the corresponding IBC holistic health credential tiers. Practitioners whose education appears in the recognized programs list below are considered to have satisfied the education component of the relevant IBC application — subject to meeting all remaining requirements.
This recognition covers two fundamentally distinct education and practice tracks: Licensed Naturopathic Medicine (ND/NMD), governed by accreditation standards and state licensure; and Traditional Naturopathy and Herbalism, governed by program-specific curricula and professional training standards. Applicants must apply through the track that reflects their actual education and credential history.
Four-year doctoral programs requiring 3,500+ curriculum hours including supervised clinical rotations. Licensed in ~26 states + DC. Governed by recognized naturopathic licensing examinations and state medical boards. Highest clinical training standard in naturopathic medicine.
The following education backgrounds and credentials satisfy the education prerequisites for the corresponding ICONIC Board credential tiers under Track A.
Students actively enrolled in a recognized education program who have not yet completed their training may apply for IBC-HHC™ Candidate status — the official pre-credential entry point for practitioners in training. Candidate status provides access to the ICONIC Board professional community, directory listing, and a clear pathway to full credentialing upon program completion. Learn more about IBC-HHC™ Candidate →
Non-doctoral programs ranging from community herbalist certificates (200+ hrs) to master herbalist programs (1,500+ hrs). No state licensing requirement. IBC credentialing provides the professional practice standard for these practitioners.
The following education backgrounds satisfy the education prerequisites for the corresponding ICONIC Board credential tiers under Track B. Representing the largest underserved credentialing market in holistic health — no unified standard currently exists for traditional naturopaths and herbalists.
Beyond the six sequential credential tiers, ICONIC Board awards parallel designations that recognize specialized expertise, supervisory roles, and research contributions. Parallel designations are earned alongside your sequential IBC tier — not instead of it. Stacked notation example: IBC-HHP™ · Specialist.
Using a recognized education pathway simplifies your application. Select the track that matches your actual education — and apply for the tier that reflects your training level.
Determine whether you are a licensed ND/NMD (Track A) or a traditional naturopath/herbalist (Track B). Then identify the tier that matches your education level in the mapping above.
Click "Apply" for your tier. Upload documentation confirming your program graduation, licensure (Track A), or recognized credential (Track B). The Board will review your education documentation directly.
Ensure you also satisfy the practice hours, ethics attestation, and any continuing education requirements specific to your tier. The Board will advise on any gaps during the review process.
ICONIC Board is expanding its recognized education pathway program to cover additional holistic health training traditions. Practitioners from other modalities may apply through the standard pathway pending equivalency review.