“It was a medical anthropology course that I took at the University of British Columbia (UBC) during my undergrad that changed my perspective about health and health care. Suddenly, I was looking at things outside my “Pre-Med” blinders to a broader and holistic way of treating people. Since childhood, I have always been fascinated by nature’s beauty and how we fit in it.
Herbal medicine had already planted its seed when I was a child as my father used to take me out to our garden and pick herbs to chew on while we watched tiny tadpoles in puddles. The books my father used to read to me about the harmful effects of an “animated processed carbohydrate cartoon” (yes, that’s a thing 
My mother’s unconditional love was what made me believe in myself and the growth that I gained in UBC during my undergrad that there is no one singular way of treating people, there is more to medicine and there is more to healing. That’s when I came across naturopathic medicine at a career fair in UBC, and when I took a deeper look into it, it all made sense to me.
Finally, I was on the path of helping people that truly aligned with my values of compassion, harmony and empowerment through education. In naturopathic medicine, we take the time with our patients, asking them questions about their whole body and mind and many times, we find that their symptoms are all connected. It’s amazing to be able to help someone’s mental illness by fixing their gut, addressing dysbiosis and advising them on getting high value nutrients in their diet and you see the change happening all across the board.
The root word of Doctor is Docere, which means “to teach.” By educating our patients with tools they can incorporate in their day-to-day life, we are empowering them to bring change in their own bodies and minds. Similar to our conventional medical colleagues, we gain rigorous education in biomedicine and clinical diagnosis. Naturopathic medicine combines that with training in well-researched modalities for the holistic care of our patients where they can find a balance in their physical, mental and emotional health.
I am truly inspired by the change naturopathic medicine is bringing in our community, and I can’t wait to be part of this amazing group of influential change-makers in medicine.”
– Gehana Shankar, Third-year naturopathic medical student at BINM
Interested in learning more about a career in naturopathic medicine? This Wednesday, March 10, 2021 join our Online Info Session at 12pm PST where Gehana Shankar and a practicing ND from our faculty will be sharing their journey into naturopathic medicine and answering your questions.
