In This Issue…
Editor's Note: What matters most
Our thoughts and our time tend to gravitate toward family this time of year, serving as a reminder of what matters most to us in life. So AANMC’s December e-newsletter examines the family aspect of a career as a naturopathic doctor. We’ve interviewed two amazing women: a well-established ND, and a naturopathic medical student just about to begin her career. Aside from the fact that both are strong contributors to the natural health community, they have something else in common: both are mothers, and both successfully balance their passions for naturopathic medicine with happy, healthy families.
Being a full-time doctor or student can be challenging for any parent, and individuals with children often wonder whether their naturopathic career aspirations will conflict with the interests of their families. Do the time challenges become any easier? Any tougher? What about the support networks available? And has anyone figured out how to do it all??? Because let’s face it: as a doctor, you could help thousands of patients create better, more healthful lives. But as one reputable and devoted mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, once confided, “If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much.”
So meet doctor Pina LoGuidice and student Sara Love. Each holds to the same high standard when it comes to success, both personally and professionally. Read how these two parents successfully walk the work-and-family tightrope, and how a career in naturopathy may lend itself to a family-friendly experience.
To your health and to your future,
Coquina Deger
Managing Editor, AANMC BACK TO TOP ^
Two ND Parents: Walking the line
The career of naturopathic doctor is a major commitment, one that requires large amounts of time and energy. The rewards are great, but the demands are significant as well. So how does a naturopathic doctor, or a future ND, successfully balance work and study with a happy and dynamic home life? To find out, we talked to two women doing just that…
- Sara Love is a naturopathic medical student at National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) in Portland, Ore. She lives with her wonderful (and supportive!) husband and her energetic young son. For three years, she attended classes four days a week and worked full shifts as a pharmacy technician during the other three. Now in her final year of medical school, Sara is still managing her responsibilities as a parent, her studies and her impending career with fierce dedication. READ MORE >
- Doctor, acupuncturist, mother, cook and author, Pina LoGuidice has come to see practicing naturopathic medicine as her life’s work. Along with her husband, Dr. Peter Bongiorno, she has established a thriving naturopathic medicine and acupuncture practice in New York state, where she specializes in women’s health, infertility and pregnancy. A fairly new mother herself, Dr. LoGiudice has successfully woven together family and work in such a way that each feeds, supports and stimulates the other. READ MORE >
BACK TO TOP ^
BACK TO TOP ^
Your Questions Answered:
Parent as student?
Q: What's it like being an ND student while raising a family?
A: The demands on your time will be significant, there’s no doubt about it. After all, this is med school. That being said, the AANMC-member schools are very supportive of students with spouses and children. To find out more about the resources in place to aid ND students who are also parents, READ YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED >
And please keep the good questions coming!
E-mail Coquina Deger at editor@aanmc.org. BACK TO TOP ^
Next Up: Milestones 2009
It’s that time of year again, and 2009 has been a time of growth and accomplishment. Our next edition will feature our annual Naturopathic Medical School Milestones article. Until then, we wish you all a happy and healthy new year!
BACK TO TOP ^
|
“Families are the compasses that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter."
- Brad Henry
 “There are constant challenges balancing work and family. I said to myself, if I can’t figure this out, how can I tell my patients to do it? So one of the ways I’ve found balance is to exercise with my husband on the weekends.”
- Pina LoGuidice, ND, LAc
“The beauty of naturopathy is that you can make it your own. Look around to discover what inspires you, investigate what interests you, and then decide how you want to integrate that into your career as a naturopath.”
- Sara Love, ND student
Subscribe/Unsubscribe
You are receiving this e-newsletter because you have opted to receive more information about obtaining a naturopathic medical education, about the AANMC (Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges), or about one of its member schools. If you do not wish to continue receiving further communication from the AANMC, please unsubscribe here.
If someone forwarded this e-newsletter to you, sign up now to receive your own free issue.
|
