Doctor Tests

Inspiration of the Day: It's in the fire of life that you find out who you really are. Rick Godwin

We all get tested. We get tested with lifes' challenges, as well as tested throughout school to see if we are fit to move on to the next level. Right now you wouldn't be reading this blog if you weren't being tested with a huge life challenge--your illness. And if you are new to natural medicine, you are rightfully scared and wondering whatever in the world kind of tests do chiropractors, acupuncturists and pharmacists have to pass in order to diagnose and treat my body. In other words, why should I trust them like I do my medical doctor.

You might be interested to know---I was--that there is a huge overlap in courses taken in the first two years of each graduate college, and tests given, between all the disciplines. My own chiropractor in Houston, Dr. Dorene Witter bought her school books at the same book store as medical doctors buy theirs. They were the same books, for the same course and often taught by the same teachers. (call any medical bookstore and ask them if this is the case) Hey, if you were a professor teaching advanced physiology, wouldn't you want to get paid double for a curriculum you had to put together? I would. Lucky dogs. But I digress.

Here are some links for you to hit so that you can find the first two year study overlap yourselves: http://pharmacy.tamhsc.edu/curriculum/pharmd/html This is the Texas A & M College of Pharmacy. http://txchiro.edu/pdf/catalog.pdf This is the Texas Chiropractic College. The Austin School of Acupuncture is http://www.aoma.edu/prospective-students/graduate-program/course-descriptions/#BiomedicalSciences . And the link for the medical school for the University of Texas is http://www.utmb/imo/courseDescriptions/Year1/index.htm. Or just go click on curriculum on the website of whatever school you want to check out--preferably your own doctors.

What are the similar course to look for? These are the ones I have found repeatedly with slightly different names including but are not limited to: anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, immunology, biochemistry, radiology, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology (doctors of chiropractic in Oklahoma can deliver babies!!). It's worth a little looksie so that you can appreciate your doctors and your pharmacists vast knowledge whether they be holistic or not.

And remember these schools are all graduate schools. Each school requires at least 90 hours of undergraduate work with most requiring a diploma. All require specific pre-requisite science courses with a certain GPA.

In other words, when I am telling you to get health care professionals in each of these disciplines, I am not telling you to get psuedo doctor idiot dummies. These people are smart and have passed some very serious tests to be able to graduate from their colleges. As well, each have had to pass their state board exam, and NONE of these tests are easy. I am a licensed pharmacy tech and soon to be a licensed massage therapist, and I can tell you not one of these --no degree necessary--tests is easy--and I have a degree from Texas A&M! I cannot imagine what the state tests are like for doctors and pharmacists.

Right now, I know you are scared with your illness or you wouldn't have hit my blog. I know you are going through one of the biggest spiritual tests you could ever go through with your illness and the emotional as well as the physical challenges it presents to you daily. I want to reassure you with this blog that your licensed acupuncturist, chiropractor and pharmacist have been tested on several of the same courses as your medical doctor has. They simply diverge as they begin to enter their third year of graduate school, and you can check their curriculum to see exactly how.

But more than an acupuncturist learning specific needle placement, more than a chiropractor learning specific body manipulations, more than a pharmacist learning pharmaceutical biochemistry, more than a medical doctor learning to cut, suture and prescribe, the four disciplines diverge in a profoundly different way as well. Pharmacists and medical doctors are trained to treat the symptoms. Chiropractors and Acupuncturists are trained to help the body heal itself. THESE ARE HUGE DIFFERENCES.

And well worthy of another blog another day. For now, rest assured that each of these disciplines is well tested to be your health care practitioner.

Joke of the Day: They call them patients for a reason. They have to be patient while their doctor learns how to treat them. Dorene Witter, DC.

Easy Recipe of the Day:

Mayo Dip (no body will know)

One cup Hellman's Mayo
2 teaspoons Soy sauce

Using a wire whisk, stir like mad. Refrigerate.

Into a huge pot of salted water, boil some new potatoes (perfect for this time of year, often fresh in home gardens). Break off the ends of some asparagus, and throw in the pot to blanch as soon as the potatoes are done. Blanch maybe a minute or two, then dump it all into a huge colander to drain.

Serve with the Mayo Dip and enjoy. Great with the easy Pork Recipe from yesterday ;-)