Village People

By Bill Benda, MD

Photo by ArizonaMentor via Flickr, used under the Creative Commons License.

I have a sort of interesting gig. I teach emergency medicine, my particular specialty for the past 35 years, to students at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. 20 hours the first term, 30 hours the second, bopping down to Phoenix from Big Sur every month or two to impart information based more on experience than textbook teachings to future clinicians who may, or may not, someday witness a patient in the throes of a myocardial infarction or anaphylactic shock. This has given me a unique, and most valuable, insight into the machinations of naturopathic medical education, and an appreciation for both the similarities and differences between your students and ours (I’m an MD).

Each term I elect to spend a bit of time discussing health care politics once the “required” information is neatly tucked away in their inquisitive minds. The topics range from D.C.’s recent legislation, to the AMA, to the AANP, to the NMSA, to the AHMA, to the medical school SGAs, and all acronyms in between. It’s amazing how the energy in the room shifts from somewhat bored attention to intellectual engagement – instead of two or three in the audience raising their hands in response to some clinical query, half the class at any one time vie to be called upon to state their personal perspectives on all things non-clinical. These young (and not-so-young) scholars are hungry for real-world social and political discourse, a very good omen for the future of the field.

But something is missing. This hunger for information as to how the real world actually works is actually a referendum on where we have fallen a bit short as mentors. Yes, there are caring, passionate practitioners willing and available to impart clinical knowledge, and a cadre of political junkies at the state and national level available to provide direction if asked. The AANP and NCC (Naturopathic Coordinating Council) have both invited the president of the NMSA to sit at the boardroom table, and the AANMC is working to ensure fiscal support to the national student organization. But resources are stretched to their limits, and each aforementioned soul who volunteers their time and energy to students also has a medical practice and teaching duties and family and financial responsibilities. There simply is not enough human resource to shepherd this profession through the national and state and local and academic labyrinths, and still find the time to parent our students as we do our own children.

The thing is, though, they are our virtual children, as well as the future of naturopathic medicine. And to be quite honest, their inexperience is a stumbling block on their path to becoming our legacy and future leaders. So I believe this to be an opportune moment for those of you reading this blog to consider what it is you might contribute to their, and your, coming success in navigating this big, confusing world of ours. If you live near a medical college, volunteer your clinic or office and have them shadow you on your rounds. If you are part of a state association, invite them to your next meeting and solicit their input. If you are a national leader, push for fiscal and political support for their fledgling organizations.

It takes a village, people . . .

Our Path to Integration

Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

Dr. Hangee-Bauer with Dr. Mehmet Oz and Lisa Oz.

May was an interesting month for me, and I want to share a few of my recent experiences with you. I’ve found that my role as AANP President has given me many opportunities to be curious about different facets of the naturopathic profession and have experiences which are not so common in my day-to-day practice.

One of my goals during my two-year presidency is to visit each of the naturopathic medical colleges. I want to understand better the questions, dreams, aspirations and fears our naturopathic medical students have as they envision their futures as naturopathic physicians as well as understand the challenges and successes of the naturopathic colleges.

Last week I had the honor of being invited to Bastyr University to attend a celebration where Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife Lisa Oz were given honorary doctorates from Bastyr for the work both have done to improve people’s health and educate and empower them to make better health choices. They are a remarkable couple to meet: charming, obviously intelligent and we had a nice conversation around building bridges between naturopathic and conventional medicine. The Bastyr community welcomed the Ozes with open arms and open hearts.

I spent the rest of my time at Bastyr touring the campus and clinic, having a brown bag lunch session with students, and getting a tour of the new LEED Platinum-certified student housing. It was a remarkable experience for me. When I graduated from Bastyr in 1984, we were housed in an old elementary school in North Seattle, and the school had a small clinic in the University district. It had been at least five years since my last Bastyr visit. I am so impressed at the many ways the college and community have grown and matured since my time as a student there. Between the state-of-the-art clinic facilities, the expansive campus, and the great dialogue I had with the students, I came away impressed at how far our profession has grown since my days as a student in the early 1980s.

It’s a funny thing. When I was a student, we knew instinctively we were on to something, even though hardly anyone knew what naturopathic medicine was at the time. I have to say it is truly remarkable how this profession has grown both in size and respectability, and it only makes me wonder how we will continue to evolve and grow in this era of health care change as we continue to expand our presence and the impact of the medicine.

Which brings me to another experience I want to share with you. I was in New York in February at the Integrative Health Symposium where I met a young (to me) ND who had graduated from Bridgeport in 2003. He was in San Francisco a few weeks ago attending a urology conference and we met for lunch. He told me about his journey from naturopathic school to his present position as a naturopathic doctor in a urology practice in New York City. It was fascinating to hear. When I got out of school, opportunities for NDs were fairly limited. Most went into private practice, mostly solo or small groups, or went into teaching or to work for supplement companies. He described to me how it works in his office and how his training and treatment focus meshes with those of the surgeons and urologists with whom he works. It’s a win-win-win situation. He has a good job that keeps him busy in a specialty practice he enjoys and at which he is successful, the medical doctors have an ND to whom they can refer patients, their group practice benefits from the naturopathic services offered, and patients of this practice have more treatment opportunities.

I strongly believe that we are entering an era of integration as opposed to separation, where health care providers of different training and skills come together with mutual respect and understanding to improve the health of people and our planet. In his book Nature Cures: A History of Alternative Medicine in America, author James Whorton makes this case quite effectively and succinctly. The old ways are dying, and there are great opportunities for naturopathic medicine in this paradigm shift. There are ever-increasing examples of how our graduates can utilize their skills in a variety of settings. We can continue to emphasize our differences from other health professions or we can seek ways to come together. It is up to us.

My experiences in May have reinforced this for me and have given me much to think about as the naturopathic profession moves forward into the next phase of our evolution.

Inherently Political: Student Leadership and Legislative Success

By Carrie Runde, 2011 ND Candidate
AANP Student Representive for Bastyr University

Drs. Jamey Wallace and Jane Guiltinan (center) with the entire student
contingent from Bastyr University at the 2010 DC FLI.
Photo by Clark Porter.

This May marked my 3^rd year attending the AANP’s DC Federal Legislative Initiative (DC FLI), and I am excited to report that this year’s event was the best by far. I was proud to lead the group of 34 Bastyr ND students, from all years in the program, to Washington, D.C. Our crew had been tirelessly fundraising since last fall, generating over $15,000 to offset the travel and accommodation costs associated with the trip. I am incredibly impressed by the effort all members of the group contributed to our cause. Despite the distance from Seattle and the trip’s proximity to midterm exams, I heard only positive feedback from the Bastyr students who attended. Everyone was so glad to have made the trip, as it was a truly unbelievable learning experience.

When talking to students about participating in the DC FLI, I commonly hear claims that they are uninterested in, or overwhelmed by, general politics. My response to that is simple: the FLI teaches us about specific legislation and political issues pertinent to naturopathic medicine. Once they learn about the politics that directly affect them as students (such as loan repayment programs), as future physicians (like state licensure and scope of practice), and their patients (such as access to supplements), students become interested in the political work of the AANP and our home state affiliates. The first two days of training sessions ignited the students with a curiosity that translated into very effective lobbying on the third day of the DC FLI.

One thing that resounds clearly at each DC FLI is that students have a powerful voice in the legislative process and the future policies of naturopathic medicine. The passion, intelligence, and perspective that we bring to conversations on health care are true mediators for change. The work that we have done in the past is paying off. As AANP President Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer pointed out in a previous post, this year’s FLI was remarkable because healthcare staffers on Capitol Hill now know the AANP. We spent less time educating them about naturopathic medicine, and more time discussing how we can best be utilized in our nation’s healthcare system. I have specifically experienced this over the last three years in meetings with Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s health care staffer, who is encouraged by visits from a positive group of people so dedicated to health and wellness.

The student presence at the FLI is, in my slightly biased estimation, the most important. This year, 100 of the 171 participants were ND students representing four U.S. naturopathic schools! We need to continue to increase our numbers at the event each year. The FLI has a greater political impact because students represent many home states, thus allowing us to deliver our message to as many representatives as possible. The FLI helps students as well. It allows us get outside of our medical school bubbles and into the real environment in which we will someday practice our medicine. Despite the challenges associated with missing class and clinic rotations, the FLI gives a new perspective on naturopathic medicine and recharges students when they return to the daily grind of medical school. The FLI also acts as a catalyst for involvement with the AANP, setting students up to be leaders at our respective schools and to become involved in state legislative work early in their careers.

The work that the AANP does for our profession is invaluable, and my personal goal is to increase student involvement in the organization. The more students that have the opportunity to attend the DC FLI and get involved with the AANP, the stronger the AANP will be in the future. The success of our professional organization has a huge impact on our future as naturopathic physicians, and students are a vital part of the equation. I hope that political work, like that done at the DC FLI, will become part of the naturopathic curricula at all schools because, as Dr. Bastyr was known to say, being a naturopathic physician is inherently political. Each year the FLI leaves me with the oft-quoted Margaret Mead adage in my head: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Carrie is a 3^rd year ND student at Bastyr University and is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Carrie is the Bastyr student representative to the AANP and can be contacted at AANPrep@bastyr.edu.

President's Message: Advocating for Naturopathic Medicine

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

American Medical Association headquarters in Chicago, IL. Photo by Steve Silverman via Flickr, used
under the Creative Commons License.

It’s been quite a busy time over the past few weeks, with trips to Washington, D.C., and Chicago to educate and advocate for the naturopathic profession.

2011 DC FLI

In late April, I flew to Washington to spend three days at DC FLI followed by our Spring Board meeting. This was my fourth DC FLI and I have to say it is one of the most fun and interesting events put on by the AANP. Most of us come together at our August conventions, but this gathering has its own flavor.

150+ people were in attendance this year, and at least 100 were students from the naturopathic colleges. There were a number of our more experienced doctors present, many of whom are active in either state licensing or federal legislative issues, as well as AANP Board members and some NDs local to the East Coast and D.C. area.

We started Saturday morning with a meeting of the State Alliance, where general trends and issues were discussed affecting state licensing efforts. There were some great conversations and sharing as we learned from each other’s gains and obstacles. For me, the most interesting part was when a representative from each state where licensing or scope expansion is being sought updated the group on their progress so far this year. It is very encouraging to hear the gains that have been made recently, and I am certain that, by following the lead of North Dakota, we could see as many as three to five states successfully gain licensure in the next year or so. The momentum is palpable and all of the due diligence that has been carried forward in different states by dedicated naturopathic doctors and their patients appears to be on the cusp of paying off.

Saturday afternoon began in earnest with presentations by representatives from the chiropractic profession, sharing with us their lessons learned in the legislative arena and overviews of the current political landscape in D.C. On Sunday, we spent the day reviewing our key messages and goals for this year’s federal political agenda, largely around two topics: offering a definition of “integrative health care practitioner” (described but not defined in numerous sections of the PPACA passed last year), and seeking sponsors or co-sponsors for a bill amending the Public Health Services Act to ensure equity for naturopathic physicians in federal loan programs, scholarships, and primary care residencies funded by the federal government. Of course, while these are our stated goals, our ongoing agenda is to inform and educate legislators and their staff members about naturopathic medicine and the role we play in our health-care system. It’s about building relationships.

On Monday, we fanned out across Capitol Hill, carrying our messages to congressional offices as well as other agencies including the Veteran’s Administration (the largest managed care system in the world) and the National Institutes of Health. From the feedback I’ve heard so far, we were well received and our messages were heard. And, as always, our reception In the Rayburn Foyer was a huge success with many staffers and a few U.S. Representatives present. One experience I can briefly relate was watching Rep. Dennis Kucinich arrive and make a beeline to Dr. Joseph Pizzorno’s table. I was told that Rep. Kucinich is a great admirer of Dr. Pizzorno’s books, keeping them in his living room at home.

The success of DC FLI is in large part due to the tremendous enthusiasm of our naturopathic medical students who take time away from their studies, fundraise, and make the long journey to D.C. to be a part of the change in the health-care system this profession promises. In many ways they are our strongest voices, and there is no doubt that the future leaders of our profession are cutting their teeth at DC FLI.

AMA Meeting

After a few days back in San Francisco seeing patients and getting a bit of rest, it was off to Chicago for our meeting with the American Medical Association (AMA). Karen Howard and I represented the AANP as part of the Coalition for Patient Rights (CPR), a group of 35+ health professions who came together in response to the AMA’s Scope of Practice Partnership (SOPP) campaign. This campaign is part of the AMA’s goal to educate their state constituencies and state legislators about scope of practice bills, largely opposing other health-care professions who seek either expanded scope or independent practices. One of the data series produced by the SOPP concerned naturopathic medicine and was filled with many inaccuracies about our training and practice.

Karen and I were joined by representatives from other groups including the American Nurses Association, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, American Psychological Association, and American Physical Therapy Association. Our group met with some of the top brass at the AMA including the Chair of the Board of Trustees and CEO.

I’m happy to say it was a cordial and respectful meeting on all sides, and I believe it is a start to a productive dialogue with our medical colleagues. There was general consensus in the room that we all need to work better together in integrative and collaborative settings, and this starts with thoughtful communication and a willingness to engage in productive dialogue. Our coalition gave specific feedback that I believe was heard.

I left the meeting encouraged but realistic. These issues won’t change overnight and it will take a lot of further conversation and willingness on both sides to effect the change we are all working toward. This meeting felt to me a bit like a first date; getting to know one another and seeing where things can go. But the conversation was elevated from the usual and I’m optimistic that we can build on this start.

Remembering Daniel Leek

By Christine Girard, ND
AANP 2010 Physician of the Year

Daniel Leek, SCNM second year medical student. Photo courtesy of SCNM.

The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine mourns the loss of Daniel Leek, a second year medical student, in a tragic car crash that occurred Thanksgiving morning.

Dan grew up in Rockford, IL, and attended Southern Illinois University – Carbondale where he received three Bachelor’s of Arts Degrees: in psychology, physiology and biochemistry. He started his professional life as a senior research associate at the University of Chicago, conducting research in muscle physiology and molecular biology.

Dan started SCNM in the fall 2008 and made an immediate impression with his exuberance for experiential learning and his passion for research. Dan worked closely with Drs. Langland and Waters on research projects both at SCNM and at the ASU Biodesign Institute. He is an author on a recently submitted article, “Quantitative evaluation of the broad-spectrum anti-microbial activity of colloidal silver.”

In August 2010, Dan had the opportunity to speak before researchers and clinicians at the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians conference. He presented “The Regulation of Inflammatory Gene Expression by Immunostimulatory Botanicals” – and won the student research award which was presented at the formal awards ceremony that concludes the conference. He also presented research findings at the September 2010 SCNM Board of Trustees meeting – and wowed the Board members. Dr. Schwalm, the president of the Board, when informed of Dan’s passing extended his and the Board’s deepest sympathies for the loss our community has sustained.

Dan’s ultimate goal was to pursue a career in research, through an NIH post-doctoral fellowship, to expand knowledge in the area of naturopathic medicine.

Those who knew Dan, knew that he was a spiritual guy – and a guy with a big brain for big teachings whether the Bible, the Upanishads, Ram Dass, or quantum mechanics. Many of the stories about Dan involve hours-long conversations. He loved to talk about where we might go with a topic, be it spiritual or scientific.

Dan paraphrased Ram Dass by saying, “Moments of suffering in life are the fuel for bliss if interpreted spiritually.” Dan would want everyone to remember that.

Dan is well respected and well loved. He remains with us as an integral part of the fabric of the SCNM community. Memory Eternal!