Quote of the Month

“Some people find fault like there is a reward for it."
Zig Ziglar

Intensity of 3rd Year Practicals

Third year comes with a heightened responsibility & increased level of difficulty in the practical sessions that only the pressure of clinic around the corner could apply. Last week we performed acupuncture on the "difficult" points including inside the orbit of the eye (ST 1), above the inner canthus of the eye (UB 1) as well as beside the carotid (ST 9, LI 17 & 18) and radial arteries (LU 8 & 9). Then, today we did our 1st phlebotomy (blood drawing) on each other.

It is interesting how some people have more anxiety about performing these particular tasks as the doctor and others have more anxiety being in the patient's position. Either way, I think it is a matter of conditioning and not any indication of competency or ability to be successful with certain treatments. Originally, it was protocol at CCNM that every male needed to lie down when having their blood drawn because statistically men were the most prone to passing out. I'm happy to say that I didn't pass out (and even watched my partner insert the needle and change tubes) however, I was kindly asked to lie down - the bigger they are the harder they fall!

Need an Adjustment?

Before beginning university, and before I knew about naturopathic doctors, I originally considered becoming a chiropractor. As I had several sport injuries, I was the patient of quite a few chiropractors across Canada.

This year's manipulation classes finally allow us to complete the final thrust involved in performing a spinal adjustment (or any other joint). Until now we have set the foundation and framework in place by learning: anatomy, physical medicine, orthopedic tests and motion palpations, observed manipulations but did not get to perform the actual adjustment on each other.

The teaching assistant for my practical group sessions is a chiropractic doctor and she busted the myth that it takes a strong male to have good adjustments. Instead, technique is everything! I find getting that perfect adjustment is instant gratification for both practitioner and patient.

I personally know several excellent chiropractic doctors and revere them as musculoskeletal experts much in the same way that a family doctor might revere an orthopedic surgeon. In the future, any difficult musculoskeletal case that I came across, I would not hesitate to refer my patients to them.

What I like about receiving adjustments from a naturopathic doctor (in comparison to other practitioners that can adjust) is that we are well trained in the adjustments that are required for the most common musculoskeletal conditions, take ample of time with each patient, and are not limited to only one form of treatment. Metaphorically, we do not need to hammer something that instead needs a different tool.

A Learning Environment

There are occasions where I am reminded of how privileged I am to be in a learning environment where education rather than egos are encouraged. I was reading a story in a conventional medical email newsletter about how hierarchy is maintained by embarrassing (or worse) the new MD residents. Maybe it is because my school is 80% women but I have to say that I was again impressed by the atmosphere maintained during potentially awkward clinical requirements.

Earlier this week, I completed my first gynecological exam under the supervision of a practicing ND. I was politely interrupted to stop once or twice to perfect my technique and kindly given a reminder when I hesitated or forgot the next step. Maybe it is because most ND's are female that ND students are taught a very thorough, yet patient centered gynecological assessment, where each step is performed with maximal patient comfort in mind. I realize it is not neurosurgery but it is enough to remember the first time through, given the circumstances!

My point was not that we are sheltered, because where safety is concerned the standard is strictly maintained, but that we were presented with the best atmosphere, free from unnecessary attitude in which we could learn a skill.

Quote of the Month

"Negative feelings are like stray cats. The more you feed them, the more they hang around."
Joyce Rupp

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone!

I hope you are able to spend some time relaxing with friends and family and are too busy having fun to be on the computer and reading this on Christmas day - I typed this ahead of time and scheduled the post for Christmas morning!

Thank-you to those who have been checking in regularly and providing excellent feedback.

Have a safe and fun holiday.

Christmas- A Needed Break

Maybe it was because it was the 9th exam in a week, or the accumulation of a 2 1/2 year mental marathon, but I was humbled by the difficulty of the questions on our final Botanical Medicine exam yesterday. I absolutely love Bot Med and it is never just about passing the course for me, so I actually pulled out my notes and looked up the questions that I could remember.

However, I do need to put the books down for a while and celebrate because myself, and everyone of my colleagues, deserves to take a break and look at how far we have come. It doesn't seem real yet but, we have just finished the last set of Christmas final exams we will write for this program, since next year at this time we will be interns.

It is only 4 months now until clinic starts...where has the time gone?

Have a safe and healthy Christmas holiday everyone.

Virtual Substitutes

The phrase, "Now that is a day at the Park" brings a lot of things to mind. For me, spending the day in front of a coloured, flashing box in the living room was not very high on the list. Yet, with Christmas approaching, and toy marketing fever beginning to peak, parents are lead to believe that the Fisher Price Smart Fit Park constitutes a day in the park. I don't mean to pick on Fisher Price particularly, as there are certainly other companies and some Fisher Price toys are valuable.

Unfortunately, I find a belief in Toronto that indoors is safer and cleaner than the outdoors. Neither are true and indoors is most likely contaminated with many times the level of toxic substances (carpets, laminate floors, glues, paints, plastics, air fresheners, cleaners...) than the outdoors.

This brings to mind an evening tobogganing with my son last year. Several other parents from the neighborhood came with their children and I heard one ask, "how many years have we lived here and never used this hill?" Simple, healthy, inexpensive pleasures right on our doorstep but too often traded for a virtual substitute.

When buying gifts this Christmas, evaluate the consequences your purchases will have on others. I believe that with some intention, we can all make better choices.

Quote of the Month

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Formula has Risks

The slogan , "Breast is Best" over the last several years has formula companies comparatively recommending their product as a close second. Why anybody would choose to start their child on second best is interesting (I certainly understand those who are physically unable to breast feed). As Naturopathic Doctors promote patient education, informed choice in cases like this is what is important. I was surprised to learn in Maternal/Newborn Care today that most Medical schools have no training (zero hours) in their curriculum on breastfeeding. What was possibly even more surprising was the statistics on the percent of mothers who breastfed in Canada. In some provinces, only 65% of mothers attempted to initiate breastfeeding and only 20% exclusively breastfed until their child was 1 month old (BC is doing something right here as it's rates are substantially higher than this).

Research negating the benefits of breast feeding may include babies who have ever breastfed (even for a week) instead of comparing those who exclusively breastfed with those who were bottle fed. However, the evidence is now confirming what advocates have maintained for years that bottle feeding has risks. There is a growing body of research demonstrating increased rates of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes and even ulcerative colitis.

Note: Here in Toronto, as a result of the recent H1N1 pandemonium, the public breastfeeding support clinics were taken over as flu screening or vaccination clinics leaving new mothers who would access those clinics without any support. Certainly a situation without a perfect solution.