Happy Naturopathic Medicine Week (May 13-19 2019)! This week is truly important to raise awareness of the naturopathic profession, but have you ever considered becoming a naturopathic doctor as your career?

I’m currently studying to become a naturopathic doctor and I am doing my internship at Empower Health Clinic. I am excited to share my experiences with anyone who has considered taking this path!

One of the greatest attractions of this profession was the fact that I get to teach others, in my own creative way, how to feel better. It’s not simply telling someone what to do, but having the ability framework to work as a team. When I first meet a patient I get to spend at least an hour to thoroughly review that individual’s history. I get to play detective by tying in all of their health concerns and the life factors that impact their health. Follow-up visits are usually 30 minutes and by then I have the privilege to develop a relationship with this person, and even gain some of their trust that I’ve gathered the best evidence to help them towards a good trajectory.

Like medical school, a naturopathic student spends the first 2 years learning the foundations of biomedicine and in some cases carrying a heavier course load. We then branch into our unique path of learning nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, counselling, physical medicine while reinforcing our abilities to clinically diagnose a condition. With a Bachelors degree and over 3000 hours of this program’s education, I’m finally seeing the light at the end of that tunnel in my fourth year of naturopathic medical school.

Between writing a pharmacy exam and attending regular classes, seeing patients have and will always be my breath of fresh air. Motivation comes like no other than seeing these patients get better and feel EMPOWERED to redefine their sense of normal. The Empower Health Clinic is particularly challenging and rewarding as an externship in my journey as a student. With the number of new complex cases I see, the more I am able to strengthen my knowledge of human physiology, health, and wellness. I have access to resources that confidently put me ahead to treat conditions such as chronic fatigue, thyroid disorders, SIBO, PCOS, and more. The Empower Health Clinic provides exceptionally organized staff, materials, electronic systems, and support so that I never feel like I’m going to harm a patient. My clinic supervisors, Dr. Rae and Dr. Patrick form an incredible team and wealth of knowledge that I have deep assurance in. While it is a supervised clinical experience, the Empower clinic has exposed me to patients who truly see me as a capable and diligent doctor in training. Being in a school clinic has its own value and comfort, but Empower Health Clinic has entrusted me with intricate decision-making, placing me in a real-world situation. With my education, I know that I can provide relief to patients on multiple levels, and if I feel a patient needs support in an area beyond my ability, I can easily refer them to someone in the same clinic who is able. I am someone who is incredibly task orientated, artistic, with the simple heart to help people; it is so meaningful that I was exposed to naturopathic medicine and learn that it has been my calling all along.

-Jessica Wu, Naturopathic Student, 2019

Get on your path to feeling BETTER NOW! Book in today to work with one of our Interns. Call 604-336-2844 now or book online below.