NPLEX & USMLE

I guess I'm competitive by nature!  I think it takes a significant amount of competitiveness just to complete 8 years of school and then continue another 3 months of intensive studying/reviewing to prepare for NPLEX and Boards.  So, I recently could not help noticing while I was studying in a Toronto Public Library that a young woman sat down at the same table to study with her laptop and a book, "Step-Up to USMLE Step 2."  Now, I just bought this book a week ago. 

For those not sure why I would buy this book, naturopathic doctors follow a somewhat similar licensing and board certification track to medical doctors with some variation in the order.  The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 is similar to our NPLEX 2 exams and many naturopathic graduates use the USMLE books as a part of their review material.

So, what fascinated me was the simplicity of this particular young woman's study tactics as she read her Step-Up to USMLE Step 2 book and wrote supplemental information from some online medical sources onto the pages (I realize that she will undoubtedly have many medical reference texts at her disposal).  Now on the cover of this book it says, "Comprehensive yet concise coverage...Perfect prep tool for Step 2 CK and a head start for the Step 2 CS" (note: CK = Clinical Knowledge and CS = Clinical Skills).  Yes, I really like the book because it is very concise; but comprehensive?

Wow, if that is the definition of comprehensive, what do you call the plethora of review notes, manuals and textbooks most ND graduates use to prepare for our exams?!  No disrespect intended, I just found it comical in light of some comments by outspoken critics of naturopathic doctors.  I realize conventional medicine is no walk in the park either but, if you want a real challenge: try naturopathic medicine!!

Happy Canada Day!

I've just returned from 5 days in Calgary where I attended the CAND's Health Fusion conference.  This year's topic was Environmental Medicine and the speakers were absolutely amazing.  The conference was focused on tactics to avoid chemical and heavy metal toxins, how to recognize symptoms of toxic induced loss of tolerance and how to get the body to excrete these toxins when they are absorbed.

I even had the privilege to meet one of the greatest water rights advocates, Maude Barlow (Council of Canadians), who spoke on the last day of the conference.  Interestingly, the day after the conference was over, I traveled just east of Calgary to visit family where I found out that they are unable to drink the ground water due to contamination by agriculture.

I have always been a patriotic Canadian but there is now a sense of urgency to protect Canada, our water, agriculture and wildlife for the next generation.  We can't take these things for granted!

Well, I must get back to work as I'm also feeling a great sense of urgency to continue studying with only 5 weeks remaining before NPLEX and Board exams. 

It's about the Zebras

As I'm hidden away studying in the air conditioned basement of a Toronto Public Library, I realize that 2 weeks of NPLEX review have already gone by.  This means that the Licensing and Board exams are looming that much closer.  Will I ever be able to remember all these details?  In my office, I could just look it up!

But, after this many years of studying and 12 months of internship, it's now really about the zebras.  There is a famous old saying in medicine, "when you hear hoof beats, think horses not zebras."  This translates to: when you have a list of signs and symptoms, think of the most likely diagnosis these point to first.  Well, this is true in practice but from the advice of practicing ND's I've listened too, not so on these upcoming exams.  I do realize that naturopathic medicine is still in the process of demonstrating to the majority of the public (and most conventional physicians) that naturopathic doctors are proficient primary care providers.  As such, our licensing boards are going to ensure that we have what it takes to catch those mysterious presentations of diseases.  Furthermore, many patients unfortunately only resort to an ND after they have been through an unhelpful ordeal in conventional medicine.

So, I do understand the necessity and therefore should not complain about being sentenced to studying inside during such beautiful weather.  However, I can say that I will be very happy on August 7th when this is all over...

The NPLEX II Saga Begins

Well it is finally here: the final mental marathon required to become a licensed ND.  My head already feels like I'm in need of a break after a 6 day NPLEX (Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations) review course.  And I haven't even officially started studying yet!

Like any large and difficult task, I think half the battle is overcoming the intimidation and making a plan to break it down into smaller "digestible" components.  NPLEX II tests a naturopathic doctor's correct and safe utilization of the following components to prevent and treat disease in every organ system in the body: clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, physical medicine, physical and clinical diagnosis, lab diagnosis and imaging, pharmacology, psychology, emergency medicine, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.  It is a tremendous scope of information!  So, for the next 10 weeks, new naturopathic graduates in Canada and the US will be reviewing and studying full time in order to be successful on NPLEX II this August.  Starting May 30th, I will be following a weekly objective schedule that breaks topics up by organ system and modality.  Of course, 8 hours of sleep, daily exercise, phosphatidylcholine and fish oil are just a few extra requirements necessary to survive the NPLEX II saga!

Well, with yet another blog post about survival, I realize that sometimes I take the risk over-informing prospective students.  Accordingly, I have periodically considered not disclosing information because some degree of naivety can be beneficial in undertaking a difficult task.  As such, in being candid with the extensive, somewhat unrelenting effort it takes to become a naturopathic doctor, my hope is not to discourage anyone from being an ND but to provide an opportunity for proactive students to become informed.  However, if for example only one or two of the naturopathic modalities are of interest to you, then maybe making all the extra effort to become a naturopathic doctor is not for you.  Keep in mind that there are practitioners who specialize in each of of the modalities that ND's are licensed to practice and maybe you would be better suited as an herbalist or registered dietitian or chiropractor or homeopath or psychologist or an acupuncturist.  At least now you can make a better informed choice.

Naturopathic Medicine Week 2011

May 9th - 15th is Naturopathic Medicine week in Canada.  If you are interested in learning the benefits of naturopathic medicine, take a look at these locations across Canada where Naturopathic Doctors will be giving free information seminars. 

This is a great opportunity for both prospective students and people who are suffering with health problems to go and get some questions answered.  Have a great week!

It's Graduation Time!

The graduating class of 2011 is done!!  It seems absolutely unbelievable...I'm sure the reality of being finished internship will quickly set in as I begin to prepare for NPLEX and board exams, but right now I'm basking in the accomplishment.  And what a journey this has been...filled with a lot of ups and downs, the appearance of gray hairs and the skills to help improve health care in Canada.

One thing I was not prepared for this last month was saying goodbye and transferring the care of many patients I have got to know very well over the past year.  Although I'm sure their new intern will work as hard as I did, there was a sadness in not continuing along their health journey with them.  Well, I do not want to end on a note of sadness as this is a time for celebration.  So, congratulations to all the naturopathic medical students in North America who will be graduating this spring.  I wish everyone the greatest success.

Real Health Care in Canada

With only 2 weeks remaining in my clinical internship, and the timing of this federal election, I was paying greater attention to the politics of the profession and the vital role naturopathic doctors have in changing the course of "health care" in Canada.  I put, "health care" in quotations because what our politicians have not yet been made aware of is that healthy people are not the ones being taken care of in Canada.  Rather, our conventional medical system is in fact a disease care system of medicine.

I realize this is my bias, but I would like to see naturopathic doctors (ND's) be the primary care gate-keepers of the health care system since we have the widest scope of practice of any health care provider (and subsequently the greatest number of therapeutic tools).  When necessary, ND's would also know when and which specialist would be best for the patient to be referred to within the conventional and complementary health care systems.  I believe this would revolutionize Canada's health care system which is in a state of patient care deterioration and financial crisis.

Most people feel like they are too busy to write or ask their local member of parliament about what health care truly means to them or to let them know about the benefits of naturopathic medicine.  But, we can all quite easily talk to our friends, mention our vision for a true health care system on Facebook or Twitter.  Many small actions will build into a large movement!