We want to congratulate Dr. Patin on being featured on the Member Spotlight with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP). In her brief interview she discusses why she chose Naturopathic Medicine and why she is a proud member of the AANP! Read her responses below:

1. What started your pathway in naturopathic medicine?

Growing up I was raised by my parents to follow a healthy lifestyle, though I was not privy to naturopathic medicine. However, after losing my father unexpectedly at the age of eight years old to a complication of his heart transplant and being diagnosed by the similar condition four years later -I did not want the same fate. I was very determined to seek the why, what and how regarding the causes of my father’s demise and stop the pre-destined fate for myself and future generations. Fortunately, with the help of my mother I found my way to Naturopathic Medicine, quickly applied and attended SCNM and the rest is history.

2. What do you like most about being a naturopathic doctor and what are some of your challenges?

I thoroughly enjoy the investigative process and following the principles of our medicine. Naturopathic medicine at its fundamental core implements individualized therapy and seeks to treat the root cause of a person’s ailment by following the laws of nature and eliminating the obstacles impacting the innate healing process of the individual, thereby allowing restoration to take place.

It is a wonderful feeling to see the transition of a person and witness the evolution of their healing process when these principles are implemented. Common challenges I found when being in practice is that many people are still learning what a naturopathic doctor means. Many people need understanding that we licensed naturopathic doctors are trained as a primary care physicians and often times get confused with the public that we are a nutritionist, homeopath or acupuncturist- which are just a few of the modalities that we are trained in and can provide to our patients, but we are able to provide much more. The caveat to the services or modalities we can provide is stipulated by the state in which we practice. This is also another challenging issue that comes up for many of my patients, which are they type of services which can be received. Unfortunately, the political factors involved vary for each state which can limit the services offered. However, the good news is following the laws of nature can never be limiting!

3. What makes your membership with AANP valuable as a naturopathic doctor?

I love being an active member of AANP because it is a comprehensive and national database that keeps me informed on the local and regional concerns within our industry. The accessibility of information allows me to write to my legislators on petitions and support our efforts by creating more awareness with the public and our government. Personally, I do enjoy the benefits of discounts to services that have helped build my practice and webinars to stay current with changes in our medicine.

If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine feel free to ask any questions below or message Dr. Patin.

Are you a premed? Join Diverse Medicine now. It's free!