See more careers at: http://howtobecome.tv/
See more of Dr.Vlahopoulos at: http://www.kihc.ca
Intro: What do you want to be when you grow up?
CV: The word “doctor” is Latin in origin, and it actually means teacher. And that’s because they’re an educator.
Second Intro: This is How to Become.tv.
CV: I’m Christina Vlahopoulos. I’m a naturopathic doctor, and I practice out of Kingston Integrated Healthcare.
What excites me most about the profession, is when I have a person who comes to see me and they’ve gone through years of a condition or aliment or they feel a certain way [and then after they receive treatment from me they say] “I feel so much better.” That’s really what excites me.
[Education to become a naturopathic doctor]
It’s 8 years; 4 years of naturopathic medicine, and 4 years of undergrad. I guess the obstacle is specifically the education itself. In the second year we had exams everyday, 5 days a week for 3 weeks straight. So, it really is a question of endurance. You really have to make sure you’re taking care of yourself while you are going through the education.
In undergrad, people take 5 courses maybe 6 per semester. At the Naturopathic College you’re taking anywhere from 7,8,9. Not only taking the didactic portion, or the in class time, but also the practicum portion. It really felt right when I got to the school, and when I started doing the program. Probably by my second year I really felt comfortable. And [felt like], “this is it, I’m home.” When you’re done, it’s really a phenomenal feeling.
Why [did I] become a naturopathic doctor?
Growing up in a family where we used more alternative forms of therapy, my dad using an onion pulp-ice on his foot for instance, and my mom using potatoes and handkerchief around her head for headache, it made sense when I found out about the school, and when I found out about the college. Having an interest in biology and environmentalism, the two sort of fit together with respect to naturopathic medicine because [naturopathic medicine] looks at the whole body.
[Difference between conventional medical doctors and naturopathic doctors]
I guess the biggest difference between conventional medical doctors and naturopathic doctors is naturopathic doctors go for root cause or getting a better understanding as to why a person is exhibiting the symptoms and not just treating the symptoms themselves.
I would do absolutely nothing differently. This is exactly where I would be.
Ending: What do you want to be when you grow up?