Blueprint-aligned study page for the CONO Part 2 modalities domain, including botanical medicine, homeopathy, clinical nutrition, therapeutic diets, physical medicine, counseling and health psychology, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese patent herbal formulas, acupuncture and adjunct therapies, and pharmacotherapy.
This page organizes the modalities section into practical study blocks that can be connected directly with BoardQBank CONO-style MCQs and mock exam pages.
Questions should test selection of safe and appropriate naturopathic therapies based on diagnosis, patient factors, contraindications, interactions, dosing principles, and referral needs.
High-yield traps include pregnancy and lactation considerations, pediatrics, older adults, anticoagulant use, hepatic or renal impairment, polypharmacy, and urgent medical referral.
Each area below can be studied as a separate module, then reinforced with mixed case-based questions.
Prescribing based on therapeutic effects, indications, constituents, mechanisms, route, posology, adverse effects, toxicity, contraindications, and interactions.
Case-taking, keynotes, timing, sidedness, modalities, acute prescribing, remedy selection, potency, dosing, and follow-up assessment.
Assessment of nutritional status, deficiency risk, absorption, utilization, loss, bioavailability, indications, contraindications, dosing, and interactions.
Dietary prescription based on indication, contraindication, cultural context, accessibility, comorbidity, adherence, and safety.
Safety assessment, orthopedic testing, osseous and soft tissue manipulation, therapeutic devices, hydrotherapy, rehabilitation, and exercise prescription.
Counseling principles, health promotion, chronic disease behavior change, mind-body techniques, psychological screening tools, crisis recognition, and referral.
TCM case-taking, ten questions, pulse, tongue, eight principles, vital substances, organs, meridians, five elements, and Zang-Fu pattern recognition.
Formula selection based on Zang-Fu diagnosis, patient safety, contraindications, cautions, adverse effects, and interaction risk.
Point selection, point location, angulation, depth, clean needle technique, contraindications, cautions, and adjunct therapies.
Pharmaceutical safety, mechanism, indication, contraindication, route, adverse effects, therapeutic drug monitoring, and referral or co-management.
Mixed cases requiring assessment, safe modality selection, informed consent, follow-up planning, outcome monitoring, and referral when indicated.
Dedicated review of contraindications, adverse reactions, toxicities, emergency warning signs, documentation, and patient education.
Use this order to build from core safety knowledge to mixed clinical application.
| Step | Study Area | Goal | Practice Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clinical Nutrition and Therapeutic Diets | Master deficiency patterns, supplement safety, dietary indications, contraindications, and counseling. | Open module |
| 2 | Botanical Medicine and Homeopathy | Focus on remedy selection, botanical indications, posology, adverse effects, toxicities, and interactions. | Open module |
| 3 | Physical Medicine | Review orthopedic tests, manipulation precautions, therapeutic devices, hydrotherapy, and exercise prescription. | Open module |
| 4 | TCM, Chinese Formulas, and Acupuncture | Practice pattern diagnosis, tongue and pulse findings, point selection, formula safety, and clean needling technique. | Open module |
| 5 | Counseling and Pharmacotherapy | Connect behavior change, psychological screening, crisis recognition, drug safety, monitoring, and referral. | Open module |
Modalities questions often test whether the learner can choose a therapy that is clinically appropriate and safe for the specific patient.
Do not choose a modality only because it matches the diagnosis. First check emergency features, contraindications, pregnancy status, age, comorbid disease, medication interactions, and need for referral.
Correct choices usually depend on patient context: chronicity, severity, current medications, clinical red flags, therapeutic goals, follow-up interval, and objective monitoring.
For TCM and homeopathy, the exam may present characteristic features but still require safe clinical judgment, not isolated memorization of a single symptom.
High-risk presentations, severe disease, suspected malignancy, acute infection, cardiovascular instability, neurologic deficit, or medication toxicity should trigger referral or co-management.
This distribution can be used to build BoardQBank CONO Part 2 practice sets and mock exam sections.
| Modality Area | Suggested Focus | Question Style |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Medicine | Indications, contraindications, adverse effects, toxicities, interactions, and posology. | Case-based prescribing and safety. |
| Homeopathy | Acute case-taking, keynotes, potency, dosing, remedy selection, and reassessment. | Clinical vignette with characteristic modalities. |
| Clinical Nutrition | Deficiency assessment, supplement safety, nutrient interactions, food sources, and monitoring. | Lab-linked and symptom-linked cases. |
| Physical Medicine | Orthopedic assessment, manipulation safety, therapeutic devices, exercise prescription, and rehab. | MSK presentation with contraindication traps. |
| TCM and Acupuncture | Pattern recognition, point selection, clean needling, formula safety, adjunct therapies, and cautions. | Pattern diagnosis and management choice. |
| Counseling and Pharmacotherapy | Behavior change, screening tools, crisis referral, medication safety, interactions, and monitoring. | Communication, safety, and co-management cases. |
Use the links below to move from the modalities overview into full practice.
Open the full practice module index for assessment, modalities, critical care, and public health.
Open Practice ModulesTry the free CONO-style sample questions before moving into paid practice sets.
Open Free QuestionsUse timed mock exams after finishing the modality review and practice modules.
Open Mock Exams