Bastyr UniversityBoucher Institute of Naturopathic MedicineCanadian College of Naturopathic MedicineNational College of Natural MedicineNational University of Health SciencesSouthwest College of Naturopathic MedicineUniversity of Bridgeport
Student Profile
Carina Lopez, Naturopathic Medical Student, Class of 2012
Carina Lopez is a third-year student at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine (UBCNM).
Carina is pursuing a dual degree in naturopathic medicine and acupuncture. Born and raised in New York, Carina’s interest in health care and her awareness of the health disparities in her community incited her journey to becoming a physician.
As a pre-med student at New York University (NYU), Carina volunteered as an ethno medicinal student investigator in the Dominican Republic conducting research with Cornell University. Upon graduation from NYU, Carina continued her research pursuits working at The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at Columbia University. In the summer of 2005 she received auricular acupuncture and detox training at Lincoln Recovery Center in the Bronx, also becoming a Reiki practitioner.
In 2006, Carina entered The Albert Einstein College of Medicine and, through the College volunteered in Belize. There she became conscious of the deepest disparities and lack of resources for health care and medicine. Simultaneously, Carina was working with local Belizean Mayan healers in the area, and saw for herself the therapeutic effects they had on their clients’ pathologies, all with minimal side effects. She was inspired by the Mayan healers and found herself working in a Belizean hospital spending most of her time talking with her patients about diet and the natural cures the healers had shared with her. Carina was amazed at seeing the extraordinary results of these simple dietary changes along with traditional remedies in her patients.
On returning, Carina became disillusioned with the current conservative model of health care and pursued something different. She realized her dream profession in naturopathic medicine pursuing holistic natural approaches to pathologies and working as an educator to incite positive changes in her patients and communities around the world.