Success is rarely given, just as comprehension, knowledge, and wisdom are rarely, if ever, given. They are the product of a proactive, self-motivated journey. Our lives, and the relative successes we achieve, are determined by how we use the tools we are given to build something new, something ours. The end product that we envision has to be built by each of us.

Education is not the end product. Education is a source by which we receive tools to actualize our dreams. A doctorate program is no different. In order to be truly successful and realize a vision, much work must be done outside the educational entity. An extremely important facet of life in school, is keeping your end-goal in mind. Sure, let your education shape you, but also, and equally important, you must shape your education to fit your designs.

A Snapshot from Phlebotomy Lab

A refrain I often hear from students is how they wish the school taught more of this subject, or that subject. I find this desire admirable, as it implies direction and an end-state goal. However, no school is capable of teaching every aspect of every possible subject. Allopaths aren’t specialized directly after graduating medical school, specialization requires years of residency and training post-medical school. Medical school, however, granted the tools with which a specialty was built.

Specialty is no different in our profession. Specialty is built with the tools we’ve gained throughout our education. We don’t have drawn-out residencies or specialty training, but there are programs that can enable such specialization. A plethora of diplomate programs exist, from radiology to nutrition. Self-directed study is another extremely powerful tool. With the right amount of drive and utilization of the right resources, what can prevent someone from constructing a powerful program of protocols on their own?

For example, every bit of free time I have throughout the week, I use to work on my long-term project of creating a treatment handbook of functional medicine. I found that not any one resource had all the material or information I thought was necessary to effectively test, diagnose, and treat a vast plethora of conditions. So I set out to create my own. Discerning what materials to use and fully understanding the material presented in the resources has been made possible by the tools given me by my education. If anyone feels there’s something more they’d like to discover or learn, I’d urge them to take the tools they’ve gained through education and build something uniquely their own.