Student Spotlight

Sara Love, ND Student

Sara Love understands what it takes to study naturopathic medicine while working and raising a family. Prior to applying to National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) in Portland, Ore., she worked as a pharmacy technician for many years, gaining extensive experience in an inpatient hospital pharmacy and helping to educate other technicians.

Sara purposefully coordinated her enrollment at NCNM with her son’s first year of kindergarten in order to maximize her time. Continuing to work and care for her family after starting med school hasn’t always been easy, but Sara has managed, making time to maintain her strong bonds with her son and husband. And now that she’s in her fourth and final year of study, Sara is enjoying a well-earned chance to spend more time with her family. 

In school, Sara’s interests drew her to work with oncology researchers, where she could study the best ways to manage chemotherapy side effects and to support patients throughout their treatments. She collaborated with Ken Weizer, ND, to write a case study describing how naturopathic care can assist successfully in alleviating a patient’s chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Sara is preparing to graduate in 2010 and to launch her career as an ND. Yet the more she discovers about naturopathic medicine, the more she finds there is to learn…

Finding the path
Hectic family schedules
A community of support
Looking ahead
Eyes on the prize

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Finding the path

AANMC: How did your background in conventional medicine influence you to pursue naturopathy?

SL: I was a pharmacy technician for a long time. As a pharmacy tech, you can be trained on the job, and the work can become repetitive; but you learn a lot about the patients, their medications and the health care system in general. It becomes discouraging when you’re seeing these patients who keep getting medications to treat symptoms. I don’t blame the physicians. They have been taught to practice conventional medicine and to deal with serious issues. But they get pigeonholed when it comes to preventative care. If asked, MDs will say that they didn’t become doctors just to prescribe medications to people.

My experiences at the hospital’s inpatient pharmacy were valuable. I was able to learn a lot about pathologies and the medications used to treat them. In terms of naturopathic medicine, there were certain constraints. It’s not that the staff was opposed to naturopathic medications, supplements and herbs. In fact, we worked carefully with patients and their physicians to prevent harmful interactions between the medications we dispensed and other herbal remedies they may have been taking. But these other types of substances were not often in the hospital formulary. Now that I’m studying naturopathic medicine, I’m excited to learn how natural therapeutics can help patients get the most out of their treatments and prevent problems in the first place. It’s fascinating.

AANMC: How did you arrive at the decision to study naturopathic medicine? Was it the birth of your son that sparked your interest? Did you know a lot about it prior to enrolling at NCNM?

SL: I actually didn’t know that much about formal naturopathic medicine until we moved to Portland, Ore., in 2003. But I was introduced to natural modalities in a more informal way before that, while we were living in Europe.

My husband and I used to live in Scotland, where he was studying for a PhD in theology. We became pregnant while overseas, and I received excellent midwifery care, incorporating naturopathic aspects like homeopathy, Bach remedies and botanical medicines. But in the UK, that’s part of the culture, so they don’t refer to it as “naturopathy.” There are actual naturopaths – NDs – over there, but most of the MDs use integrative medicine. I found the experience to be very positive. And I feel lucky, especially knowing that here in the US, I most likely would have had to undergo a C-section, but in Scotland, I was able to deliver naturally. It all made an impression.

Then we moved back to the states and settled in Portland. Soon, I found I was learning all about naturopathic medicine just by living in this area. People were open-minded to it, and it sounded really interesting to me. I learned that NDs are akin to MDs, that they are “real doctors.” I spoke with a few of the NDs in the area, kept noticing more and more information about the field and began reading all I could about it. It sort of found me.

AANMC: And what inspired your decision to turn this budding interest into a major career change?

SL: I wanted to learn more about medicine, not just focus on allopathic medicine: I wanted to understand the natural therapies that our pharmacy patients were using and why they worked. I began looking at different graduate programs and medical schools, but once I focused on NCNM, I knew it was the school for me.

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Hectic family schedules

AANMC: How old was your son when you started at NCNM?

SL: I waited until my son was five years old (he’s eight now) to enroll in med school. The timing was good for my family, plus my energy is better in my 30s than it was in my 20s. I took a long break between undergrad and graduate schools. I just wanted to have my baby and be “done” for awhile. When he began kindergarten three years ago, that made it easier to begin training for my new career. I continued to work part-time, while my husband worked full-time. The hospital where I worked had a 24/7 department, so although it was flexible, I rarely had holidays off. I basically didn’t have a day off for a very long time, but I realized, “This is what I really want to do, so this is what I have to do in order to do it.” My schedule became: class – home – study – work – repeat.

AANMC: What is your typical schedule like? How do you handle all of your day-to-day responsibilities?

SL: The first three years I took on a full course load of 25-30 credits. I was able to schedule work as I needed, thank goodness. But I was pretty much in classes all the time, taking basic science foundation courses. I would come home, eat dinner and then study before bed. Classes would often run late, and I occasionally missed tucking my son in. Then, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, I worked evening shifts while trying to cram some studying in during breaks. As you can imagine, there’s a LOT of studying you have to do in medical school. I’m in the library a lot, but I live so close that I can get home by bus quickly.

My schedule this year is a little less daunting, since I am not working and am only taking around 20 credits. This final year is mostly clinical, so I can focus more on my degree and my family, which is nice. Looking back, I don’t think I would have done anything differently.

AANMC: Given your schedule challenges, what are some specific ways you keep those important connections with your son and your husband?

SL: My son and I like to go running. He plays soccer, and now that I have a bit more time, I go watch him play. As far as my husband, I’ll be honest; it has not been easy on him. We make do, however. We’ve been together a long time, over 12 years. I think it would have been a lot harder if we’d just gotten together. The main thing is that I get so much joy out of being with my family that it keeps me fulfilled when the going gets tough.

AANMC: Has your experience in school and while studying naturopathic care changed your parenting style in any way?

SL: I don't think my parenting style has changed. Although, I use only naturopathic treatments — such as homeopathy, fish oils and botanical medicine — for illnesses and traumas. I haven't used acetaminophen or ibuprofen in years.

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A community of support

AANMC: What kind of support network or community do you have around you? That seems to be very important when undertaking medical schooling.

SL: Other than my wonderful family, the incredible people at NCNM’s student services are there to help, and the financial aid department is excellent as well. You really need that support, and I’m glad it’s there. I also have a lot of amazing friends through work. And my friends at school are super supportive too, not just of me, but of all the parents who are ND students. For example, when a student has a baby, we organize food drop-offs and babysitting. We make it work.

A lot of parents with younger kids are enrolled. I know that at NCNM and Bastyr, and probably at some of the other ND colleges, you can opt to earn your degree in five years instead of four, so that’s one option. Others, like me, just plow through. The first few years, I was not very socially active. My community was at work, to some degree. Now that I’ve gotten to know my classmates better and have some time, I really enjoy the camaraderie. It’s a good group and we get along well.

AANMC: Is your extended family more aware of or more interested in naturopathic healing modalities, now that you’ve been studying them?

SL: Yes and no. My mother-in-law has been the most supportive and enjoys being introduced to any new treatments I learn about, as well as the nutritional education. Most of the rest of my family is still skeptical, which I understand. They all live far away and don't quite understand why I am choosing this career path instead of becoming a pharmacist or another type of health care professional.

AANMC: What stands out for you about life at NCNM? What are your cohorts and professors like?

SL: At NCNM, there is a lot of testing throughout the first three years. It’s not unheard of to have six or seven quizzes during a typical week, so you have to stay on top of your studies. It forces you to keep up, which is good, and students are generally told beforehand. The programs are great, and they are always improving them. I especially enjoyed my immunology and biochemistry classes.

The ND program is really intense. We really do learn a lot about medicine and how to treat people, not just diseases; and that every body, literally, is different. I’ve also learned that preventative care is extremely important.

I studied liberal arts, but I was also a biochemistry major at one time, so I didn’t have to take that many prerequisite classes. It doesn’t seem to matter what your background is, though. Everyone did better in some classes than in others: even those of us who were photography and theater majors. We did really well in our science classes, even though we didn’t have actual science degrees. A non-science background shouldn’t deter anyone; you can be just as successful with a liberal arts degree. An ND’s education is very broad, but I am able to focus my energies on it. I actually had fun studying for boards.

And there are a lot of incredible professors at NCNM. One of my favorite people is Dr. Heather Zwickey. She teaches immunology and is the head of the research department. She’s very supportive and really energetic. Her lecture style is truly engaging. She also makes a point to learn her students’ names. That stood out for me.

AANMC: The irony of being so busy studying health is that it can take up so much time and make it more challenging to take good care of yourself. How do you nourish yourself and decompress?

SL: I am busy, so I incorporate what I can throughout my day. I do a lot of walking to school and back. I pick up my son and drop him off when I can. I try to relax more often, but I don’t always remember to. I’ve also set up a makeshift Pilates studio at home and exercise when I can.

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Looking ahead

AANMC: What’s in store for you after graduation? Are you set in your plans, or are you open to the possibilities?

SL: I feel like an open canvas and have to admit that I experience moments of panic. I’ll be graduating in June 2010 and will begin a residency. That’s the first step. I quit my job to focus on what kind of naturopath I want to become. You kind of have to find it on your own. Seek out opportunities. Residency applications are circulating now, and I will begin the application process soon. I’m quite interested in oncology work, having completed a preceptorship in that field at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Okla. But I’m also very interested in research and education. I would prefer to stay in Portland; the schools here are great for my son. But I’m open to opportunities throughout the Northwest. I’m overwhelmed but excited.

AANMC: How do you define success, speaking both professionally and personally, as a parent? What would success in your future career look like to you and your family?

SL: I honestly do not know, but I know I’ll find out! Right now, success is having a healthy, happy son, being a good partner to my husband, and getting through school one step at a time.

AANMC: What would you say to those contemplating a career in naturopathic medicine?

SL: Enjoy your studies. Learn to be really good at time management, especially if you’ve got a job and a family.
And make sure you have fun and spend time outside of school to stay grounded and energized.

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Eyes on the prize

Sara has risen admirably to the challenge of caring for her family while working and studying naturopathy: as she said, she “wouldn’t have done it any differently.” Her fierce dedication to keeping her eyes on the goal has gotten her though a grueling work schedule and course load, and brought her successfully to her fourth and final year of med school. Sara’s goal is almost within her grasp!

After graduation, Sara is considering pursuing board certification in naturopathic oncology. She would like to continue to research the role of natural therapeutics in chemotherapy and to integrate naturopathy with conventional health care. Sara has interests in many branches of naturopathy and also hopes to teach someday.

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Author Natasha McClain is a Seattle-based freelance writer/editor who enjoys learning about and promoting a natural, balanced approach to life.

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