3/23/17
I’m a pharmacist-turned-herbalist (still in training). People often ask me why I’m choosing to convert from the allopathic Western model of medicine to study more traditional healing modalities. Well, several reasons come to mind.
While studying to become doctor of pharmacy, a seemingly prestigious and lucrative degree, I prided myself by thinking I would play a role in improving the health of my patients, my community and family. But when I started practicing in a local community retail pharmacy, I realized that the whole ‘medical’ system was flawed. It wasn’t about making people healthy, it was about trying to ‘treat’ disease, and more often than not, only symptomatically. It really became clear to me that we are in a disease-centered model of care, rather than health-centered. Moreover, there wasn’t a focus on root-cause of illness nor ‘curing’ it; rather it was just about keeping symptoms at bay.
Worst of all, I felt powerless in my role as a pharmacist. My suggestions to patients were severely limited by doctors’ orders (i.e. Prescriptions) and insurance coverage. I would have an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach for every bag with overflowing medicine bottles that I dispensed to the patient, feeling helpless in a sea of polypharmacy (multiple medications, even for side effects of other medications). I didn’t have sufficient time to counsel patients properly on their medications, let alone diet and lifestyle habits, which was my passion.
*To be continued…(on next post)*
