A new trimester has finally begun! But this time, I am beginning the final phase of the naturopathic medicine program at NUHS. During the first week back at school, big changes have already started to take place. The four full-time naturopathic medicine clinicians have been orienting my classmates and me who are starting clinic to the most essential aspects of clinic life. It has been very helpful listening to their presentations, asking questions, and getting more acquainted with clinic expectations, procedures and flow. 

I personally found Dr. Pearce’s explanation and breakdown of the electronic health care record keeping technology that we use in the clinic to be the most helpful. Although I had some exposure to it during my clinic observations and hydrotherapy rotation, she went into greater detail on topics such as recording the notes of a full history, ordering lab work, applying diagnosis codes and carrying out billing. Of course, I will not remember everything that she explained. I will need to actually fiddle with the technology myself. However, I feel much more comfortable having some level of exposure to it.

This trimester is going to be exciting. First, I will spend an average of 18 hours weekly in the Lombard naturopathic medicine student clinic. I am also simultaneously enrolled in nine courses: advanced nutrition/functional medicine (which I am super excited about!), internal medicine/emergency medicine, advanced naturopathic botanical prescribing, dermatology, advanced topics in womens’ health, pharmacotherapeutics, intravenous therapeutics, doctor-patient relationship and naturopathic management of special populations.

This trimester will challenge me to learn and grow in new ways, become more flexible, and balance out my clinic-study time ratio.