Tim's Blog

This week, I will discuss a few financial considerations of attending naturopathic medical school, regardless of which university you choose to attend. This is a direct look at the money side of attending school. It will be a bit more direct writing style. Please let me know your thoughts on this subject or if I can cover more topics in this style in the blog.

First consideration: Be certain of your reasons for becoming a naturopathic doctor. 

As nurturing and inclusive as our medicine is with regard to the health of body, mind and spirit, or the whole person; we are not a medicine of "woo-woo" or one devoid of a solid scientific foundation. Be certain that you are prepared to invest up to $200,000 for a rigorous science-based education for four years.  

Our professors train us to connect with our patients on more than a clinical, lab value basis. Indeed, the best way to help our patients is to get a full understanding of their health history, family history, lifestyle and motivations. Yet, at the culmination of each patient encounter we are healers who need to understand how the human body works from the mitochondrial level up to the emotional state of our patients and how they express themselves to us during the encounter. As a naturopathic medical student, each of us is expected to know the science behind the body, mind, and spirit connection. This is a hard and rewarding experience. 

So, be prepared for challenging, rewarding and frustrating times as you work through the basic sciences on your path to the clinical training later in your education that entwines all the principles of naturopathic philosophy combined with the hard science of the human machine. 

Second Consideration: Understand the long-term implications of a medical school loan. 

Most students that I know are paying for their naturopathic medical education with the help of federal student loans. Most of us will have significant loan balances at the end of our time here at NUHS. Many students will have balances close to or exceeding $200,000. 

Before deciding to attend naturopathic medical school, especially as a non-traditional older student, I needed to weigh the cost of attending school with the timeframe to repay the loans. That timeframe is typically between 10 years and 30 years. By the time I graduate, I will be 45 years old. I took into account that I can practice as a doctor as long as I am competent and able to perform my duties as long as patients trust my standard of care. If I take the full 30 years to repay my loan, I will be 75 years old when my loans are repaid. Many who read this blog are in their mid-20's and most likely already have some student loans from their undergraduate education. This will be a significant debt that will be a driver for a future practice or employment with a medical group. This is a reality.

With regard to my experience and decision, I knew that upon starting medical school I was building a financial debt that would take a good portion of the remainder of my life to repay. I have decided to approach the cost of my medical education as an investment that will provide return in the success of my future practice. This is a business expense that is the foundation of my future practice much as the cost of a building and shelves is the basis for a local convenience store opening in a neighborhood. I am required now to keep this foundation solid by learning and building upon the knowledge, experience, successes, and failures to help my future patients and their families be as healthy as possible within my scope of practice; or refer them to the appropriate specialist for more specific care.

I have written a bit more directly this week than I normally do, yet I feel that each person who decides to become a naturopathic doctor needs to take a hard, honest look at the financial implications of choosing our field of medicine as an occupation (or lifestyle). I hope in some way, if you are deciding on attending naturopathic medical school that you examine your true motivations, reasons and financial impact of becoming a naturopathic doctor. I will continue these topics as well as my typical ramblings as I finish up school here at NUHS.

For the record, once I decided to become a naturopathic doctor and earn my degree here at NUHS, I haven't looked back. I took a full inventory of my motivations: desire to help others, ability to earn a decent living while repaying the loans, and self-fulfillment of choosing this field as an occupation. After this solid review and understanding the expectation that the general public has for doctors, especially naturopathic doctors, who are held to high personal standard; I was willing to make the sacrifices, take the risks, and challenges. I accepted that I would experience success, failure, joy, and disappointment during this time and I have had my share of each. I wouldn't trade a moment since the summer of 2009 when I made my decision nor would I trade any of the moments I am yet to experience regardless of outcome.

Talk to you all next week!

Well, this past week saw our first round of quizzes, cases and a paper. Midterms will happen in a couple of weeks. Among the research and study, I was left with the conundrum of snacks that would fit within my whole foods definition for the Super Bowl this past weekend. So, some friends and I put our minds to finding things that would "fit the bill" for whole food ingredients and be pretty tasty at the same time! 

Here is what we came up with for the party. These recipes were developed with a bit of ingenuity, emptying the cupboards, and a quick run to the grocery store. With time and money, I'm certain we could have come up with vegetarian, dairy-free or even vegan options. We are on a budget, and combined available ingredients to come up with something healthy and inexpensive. Hope you enjoy!

Pulled Pork (or Beef) Crockpot Style
Courtesy of Lauren
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs. (pasture-raised/organic, pork center loin or beef center loin)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee
• 12 oz. can organic tomato sauce (tomatoes and water)
• 8 oz. can organic tomato paste (tomatoes and water)
• 8 oz. can organic chipotle peppers (peppers, water, salt)
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup black strap molasses
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar
• 4 Tablespoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• Hot pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Trim the fat from the meat and place the meat into the crockpot with water.
2. Cook the meat in the slow cooker until ready to pull apart.
3. Pull apart the meat and add back to the water remaining in the crockpot.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and any additional water as needed, mix.
5. Cook until ready (or game-time!)

Spinach Artichoke Dip
Courtesy of Mike
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2-8 oz. packages organic cream cheese
• 2-16 oz. containers of Greek yogurt
• 8 ozs. organic baby spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 16 oz. artichoke hearts (packed in water)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Steam the spinach.
2. Rinse the artichoke hearts.
3. Chop the spinach into small pieces.
4. Dice the artichoke hearts.
5. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
6. Chill to serve or heat and serve warm…or both!
7. ENJOY with your favorite organic corn, sweet potato or veggie chip!

We were able to combine individual ingredients that we had in our cupboards along with some meat in the freezer and a quick trip to the store for cream cheese and chips. Then, we put together a pretty nice and filling meal for the game (along with a side salad) and a dip to snack upon while we waited for the power at the Super Dome to be restored.

The whole foods plan is starting to come together. With a bit of creativity, imagination and prep work, putting together some great tasting grub for the big game was a breeze! Now to work on a more balanced veggie menu in the coming weeks before spring. We can talk about that and some of the financial challenges of attending naturopathic medical school and strategies for current and future financial needs.

In the meantime, here's a pic that with a view I really enjoyed after a workout this past weekend in our gym. The sculpture is of a healer's hands with a backdrop of Janse Pond underneath our first true snowfall in over a year (that's right)!

Talk to you next week!

The "whole foods" diet is going well. I had one hiccup this past week while making a gluten-free pizza recipe. The pizza crust mix that I purchased, while gluten free, had 11 ingredients rather than my specified five. While all of the mix's ingredients were types of flour or simply salt, I did surpass the allowable number of ingredients. The cost to purchase all the flours involved would have been enormous compared to the mix. The cost difference was roughly $40 for the ingredients separately and $5 for the pre-packaged mix.

I may have to submit a request to my "local panel of judges" to determine cost vs. "letter of the law" with regard to the five-ingredient rule. I'm beginning to feel that as long as the ingredients are something I would put together myself, without having to purchase them in bulk on a student's budget, the point should be to eat healthier foods. My intent is to become healthier, not develop into a zealot in any undertaking, especially when working toward a healthier life and lifestyle for the long term.

© National University of Health Sciences

Classes have become more exciting as the trimester has started rolling. In our Advanced Botanical Prescribing class, we have been working on developing synergistic botanical formulas whose chemical constituents can function together and increase the efficacy of both botanicals (or more) depending upon the condition being treated. I'm certainly happy I opted to take the Special Topics in Botanical Medicine class offered last summer as the formulations, interactions, contraindications and application of the botanicals is starting to come together and make perfect sense in application.

We have started building a website for our future practices in our Practice Management/Jurisprudence class. We spend a portion of each class on preparing and building a future marketing strategy for our practices. The strategies include electronic media, outreach programs to the community, affiliation with other practices and modalities, as well as the costs involved with each method. On the jurisprudence side, we are learning about how to document a visit, secure the information and maintain each patient's file in a secure location, whether electronic- or paper-based. The guidelines for safeguarding patient information under the auspices of HIPAA, or Health Information Privacy and Accountability Act, are taken seriously and taught with close attention to detail at NUHS. I'm happy to have that education provided here rather than learn a hard lesson later as a doctor. The real world application of the business side of medical practice is one of many clinical assets provided here at NUHS.

Well, I'll get back to work on this botanical formula and finish up a quick case before taking a nice walk this (Monday) afternoon. We are being "blessed?" with 50º weather after a nice ice storm last night. The Chicago winters for the last two years have been much more "squeak" than "roar."  I'm not complaining though, my first two winters here were "typical Chicago"...including the blizzard in 2011!

I'll close this week with grateful thanks for the mild winter and a motivating workout partner! A great workout partner makes arriving that much easier!

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400º prior to adding to soup.
2. Dice the carrots and onions into cubes.
3. In a BIG stockpot: Add the butter and melt. Add the carrots and onions, sauté for just a few minutes (no more than 10 minutes).
4. Add the 3 quarts of chicken stock and bring up to temperature (yet not to a boil).
5. Once the chicken has finished in the oven, dice the chicken and add to the stock.
6. Add the spices. Simmer the soup for about 30-45 minutes (again without allowing it to heat to the boiling point). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. (Add some baby spinach just a few minutes prior to serving if you like. The spinach will cook up nicely and a bit more texture to the soup.)

Enjoy!

Kenosha Trip

Also this past weekend on the spur of the moment, a friend and I took a day trip up to Kenosha to see the sunrise over Lake Michigan and the old Kenosha Southport lighthouse, built in 1866. We decided over coffee to enjoy a rare super bright Midwest winter's day and take in the sun! The sun is beautiful rising over the water; it was mighty cold though!  I'm the tiny person next to the lighthouse in the pic. 

I will talk a bit more about school in the coming weeks. Fortunately, we are still in the lecturing phase and I'm certain the quizzes are coming this week in the majority of our classes. Back to studying and talk to you all again in a week!

Hi Everyone! 

I hope each of you had a great holiday break and are recharged and ready to take on the New Year! Over the winter break I had time to think about a lot of things. 

Beginning with this blog for at least this trimester and perhaps into the next, along with my usual ramblings concerning campus life, classes and the experience at NUHS, I will be talking more about my personal journey of returning myself to a "basis for health." Returning a patient to a basis of health is the key concept of naturopathic medicine. Time for the med student to tread the path of self-healing in mind, body and spirit. 

I thought about the past 3.5 years and the balancing act of classes, study, research, exercise, proper diet, down time, and my overall health. During this time I have physically deconditioned to the image you see here. I absolutely did not see myself in this condition! Well, it's time to reverse this 35-pound (that's right, 35 pounds in 3.5 years) trend and start living what I'm learning! I thought about the joy I gained from taking time each day to nourish my physical body. Through taking time to keep my physical-self strengthened and nourished with proper diet, exercise, movement and breath, I was able to make time to "center," meditate, or pray...I have always called it "sitting and thinking."

With all of this in mind, I considered the schedule this spring at school with 17 credit hours of classes on top of being an intern in clinic three days each week. I decided to take the step of delaying entering clinic for another trimester to become more centered and physically healthy. To do this I would need time to recondition my body with physical conditioning, time to prepare proper meals and time to center.  I personally cannot ask another human "be-ing" to work with me on returning to a basis for health when I have not taken that path in the proper manner. My journey begins with this "personal time for mind and body to enrich my spirit."

So, once I made the decision to center and recondition, I needed to set some goals. Once the goals were set, the next step was to put together an action plan. Good thing I have my old project manager skills to fall back upon in this case! My goals and plan are listed below. I may need to add goals or modify some of the plans as I near the goals and I will let you know as the plan evolves.

Physical Goals:

• Reach a healthier Body Mass Index (25 - top limit of normal)
• Run the 8 mile Spartan Race in Illinois in July 2013 (I ran the 3 miler in October 2011)

Plan:

• Subsist on a whole foods diet (By making all foods I consume or purchasing food items consisting of five ingredients or less, chemical free and organic when possible)
• Exercise at least 5 days per week with a muscle confusion and cardio mix
• Drink water to tolerance each day or a minimum of 120 ounces
• Ensure seven hours of good quality sleep each night
• Attempt to attain all vitamins and minerals via my diet, only taking supplements or minerals as needed (let my food be my medicine when possible)

Mental and Spiritual Goal:

Become more centered and grounded to become the best medical student (and ultimately naturopathic doctor) that I can achieve. 

Plan:

• Laugh!
• Maintain a mindset of abundance rather than restriction during the transitional time
• Ensure seven hours of quality sleep per night
• Ensure one hour of "sitting and thinking" time each day
• Ensure all classwork, assignments and studying is completed well ahead of due dates or exams
• Ensure personal time with family, friends and loved ones is available
• Allow some time each week for personal fun time!
• Allow room for mistakes while committing to learning from them
• Love in the best way that I can and be thankful for every person in my life who adds value (regardless of how that value is added)

Each of us has our own way of reaching our goals and learning along the way. I have pushed to complete medical school as quickly as possible, all the while knowing that I could have taken a lighter class load to give more time for personal maintenance and growth. I chose to take the fast path, which in retrospect, was a metaphor for the life I led prior to entering med school and which I voluntarily walked away from in order to be more healthy. Only I found over three years later, that I was falling back into the trap of "push, push, push" rather than "achieve and enjoy the journey a bit." I will miss graduating with my current cohort as we have been through many classes together, yet so many of us are mixed throughout our journey right now, I'm still rich with friends who will be Interns in clinic at the same time. One of the most beautiful things about NUHS is its people. You will hear me say that again. :)

My path is not the path for everyone. Some folks are eager to start and finish the journey here at NUHS in 10 trimesters (I call it the insanity track, hehe) while others are forced to slow due to having to repeat a course (my journey early on), only to speed back up for the clinical courses. I have chosen to voluntarily slow down to have a richer clinic experience by finishing most of my classes prior to entering clinic. This will allow me to heal myself, and then when I am ready, have the best academic foundation and self to help others with their healing process or point them in the proper direction to be the healthiest person they can be. If you choose NUHS, your path will be as unique as you are. You can determine your course load and timing for your journey as a medical student on our campus and plan for your best maintenance plan for your mind, body and spirit while becoming a healer.

Stay tuned for the journey!