Any schools more open to holistic/ preventative instruction?

[healingcasanova]

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I have wanted to be a doctor all of my life.

After I entered college, I obtained a better understand of how our medical system works and decided what I really wanted was to be a healer. I graduated 2 years ago with the intention of attending a holistic school, like a naturopathic school for example. I have been practicing bodywork for 3years ( http://HealingCasanova.com ).

I have now begun the process of applying to med school as I have made some different choices. I believe that having a medical degree will provide me with move opportunity and influence in the long run to accomplish my goal of bringing healing, not merely a potential temporary fix, to those who desperately need it in our society.

However in searching for a mentor or the right school I have been met with great challenge. I understand medical curriculum is standardized I but I know there is a population of older physicians who have turned toward a more holistic practice. is there not a way the choose this from the beginning or must you go through med school then get further holistic type schooling?

Im looking for a practitioner mentor or schools with a more preventative practice reputation. I know DO schools tend to be more preventative, but is there one in particular?

Im interested in nutrition, bodywork, herbs, energetic medicine/ therapy and other holistic therapies in conjunction with western medicine.

Thank you for any guidance on my path.😍

 

[611]

www.nuhs.edu

 

[soeagerun2or]

I have wanted to be a doctor all of my life.

After I entered college, I obtained a better understand of how our medical system works and decided what I really wanted was to be a healer. I graduated 2 years ago with the intention of attending a holistic school, like a naturopathic school for example. I have been practicing bodywork for 3years ( http://HealingCasanova.com ).

I have now begun the process of applying to med school as I have made some different choices. I believe that having a medical degree will provide me with move opportunity and influence in the long run to accomplish my goal of bringing healing, not merely a potential temporary fix, to those who desperately need it in our society.

However in searching for a mentor or the right school I have been met with great challenge. I understand medical curriculum is standardized I but I know there is a population of older physicians who have turned toward a more holistic practice. is there not a way the choose this from the beginning or must you go through med school then get further holistic type schooling?

Im looking for a practitioner mentor or schools with a more preventative practice reputation. I know DO schools tend to be more preventative, but is there one in particular?

Im interested in nutrition, bodywork, herbs, energetic medicine/ therapy and other holistic therapies in conjunction with western medicine.

Thank you for any guidance on my path.😍

In allopathic medical schools we use "science" to practice "evidence based medicine."

 

[geogil]

If you are looking to go to an allopathic (MD) school, you might find that you're not going to be doing much about herbs and 'body work' in the same way that you're used to. If you're prepared to accept a more evidence based approach you will probably do well. If you're willing to accept a more mainstream definition of 'healer', and do things the MD way, you can still have the same effect in someone's life, albeit through a different way than you would as a naturopath.

 

[psipsina]

At my school we have a professor who is a practicing MD but incorporates holistic ideas and treatments like reikki and acupuncture into his practice. He is the faculty mentor for our integrative medicine group and has lectured in some of our core curriculum. He lectured on the science of acupuncture in neuro and on common supplements in biochem. You can rotate with him in medicine and definitely get a more holistic approach taught. However my school only accepts Louisiana residents so I don't know how much all that would help you. I just wanted to let you know that it is out there in allopathic schools, maybe you could ask some schools if they have anything like an integrative medicine interest group and if they do contact the faculty member for that club to see if they could be a good mentor for you.

 

[azskeptic]

problem with many alt med disciplines is you lack scope of practice to do things that science based medicine can excel at.

However, in Az for instance naturopaths can do a wide range of things

http://www.scnm.edu/college/scope.php

But reimbursement from insurance companies is a long ways off for most states and you'll pay about as much to go to medical school as you would naturopathic (or even ciropractric) and not have enough income to pay off the education debt.

I think the students who are advising you to look into integrative med at med schools are giving you the right advice.

 

[Trismegistus4]

There's always Hogwart's College of Medicine; I've heard they teach some pretty impressive healing spells there. Not to mention the potions.

 

[student101]

There's always Hogwart's College of Medicine; I've heard they teach some pretty impressive healing spells there. Not to mention the potions.

😆 😆

 

[njbmd]

This thread is a pre-med issue and is therefore moved to Pre-Allo. Allopathic medical students can follow and reply there.

 

[KeyzerSoze]

The Great One had a post about this recently:

http://pandabearmd.com/blog/2007/05/08/a-quick-note/

 

[Mastac741]

Dude, goto a DO school and get paid less!

 

[hanky1982]

Dude, goto a DO school and get paid less!

they get paid the same, do some more research before you say anything else that might embarass you. MD and DO's get paid the same, they just come from different schools of thought.

 

[uhohspaghettio]

 

[orakle]

I have a fellow med student who works here. If you are interested, I will introduce you to her. http://ahealth.com/ They work in many different types of healing.

 

[uhohspaghettio]

Orakle, you made an accont just to post this?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

'body work'

So you were a prostitute at a "massage parlor"?

 

[63768]

Dude, goto a DO school and get paid less!

lol ok.

 

[lawnboy313]

It sounds like you might do well in osteopathic school. You'd get the conventional training you want but could learn OMT as well (you'd probably be a natural with your massage background). From what I've heard (from an OMT-practicing DO), the DO school in Portland is the best for learning OMT.

Many MD schools are starting to teach CAM electives, but if your interest is great enough, you might find them to be unfulfilling. Probably the best option, in either the DO or MD path, is to do a fellowship in integrative medicine following your residency--there are a couple of those available.
Also, Georgetown now offers a Masters in Physiology in CAM that you can do in conjuction with their MD program.

There are something like 13 or so MD schools financed by the NIH to investigate complementary and alternative medicine--look them up. Those would be the ones I imagine are most active in teaching integrative medicine.