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My evolution as a practitioner

When I graduated from Oriental Medical school I had some preconceptions about what my life would be like as a practitioner. I envisioned a hectic but rewarding practice, the daily rigors of balancing the art of medicine with the business of business, and a sense of constant growth and development as both a physician and a human.

Those preconceptions were spot on, but with a stutterstep in between graduating and practice that was comprised of endless board exams study/completion, continual self-doubt during the board gauntlet (was I really cut out for this? could I really get through all of the silly exams without doing permanent brain damage? would I ever be able to pay back the ginormous loans I'd amassed during school? etc.), then, finally, licensing.

After which realities present that require contemplation and action (or nonaction if you prefer.)  Where to practice? How to make a living while a practice grows? To accept insurance? Deciding to practice with former school colleagues who made a space for me, then work like a dog to cultivate the practice.

Establish a private practice for friends and family? Deciding to do that, but limit the number/type of patients there - treating in your home is a different experience, and picking carefully those you bring into that space goes with the territory. Also, after a hard week of clinic practice, honestly, the idea of adding more patients, and in your private space, can be a little much to handle.

Then reconnecting with another school colleague and, over time, realizing philosophies aligned nicely, energy for the medicine and patients in general was remarkably similar, and then deciding to work together to build upon a practice she'd already worked very very hard to establish.  With this decision came the commitment to becoming fully credentialed for insurance purposes, which meant securing a credentialing agency, filling out unbelievable amounts of paperwork prior to even applying to insurance companies, then waiting...and waiting and waiting while the wheels turned.  To date I'm credentialed with all but one carrier, which is quite a testament to months of work and the desire to reach the masses vs maintaining a cash practice and thereby capping possible reach and healing potential.

Nearly at the end of the stutterstep, now, I look back at the last year and shake my head. What a journey it's been. What a series of valuable lessons I've learned. What a path to have chosen, to be on now, to look forward to trekking for the forseeable future.

I now wake up each morning, review where I am to be that day, smile, and climb out of bed knowing that all of the hassle, the late night study sessions, the occasional anxiety ridden periods, the preparation..have all been absolutely, positively worth it.

Because every day when I wake up, I will be doing what I believe my life work is meant to be - working with patients to find their version of wellness in a life that presents many obstacles and many opportunities to become out of balance in the course of it all.

It's all good. And I'm exceedingly happy to be at the place that I find myself now.

Happy (almost) Spring!

Hugs,
Stevie

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