Doctor as Teacher
Docere means doctor as teacher. As a naturopathic doctor knows, doctor acting as teacher is the most basic and simple duty of a doctor. By educating patients in the steps to achieving health, maintaining health comes natural. Yet in our current medical system there is little or no time for education. Sometimes there is education by other medical staff but rarely does it come from the doctor. In removing this fundamental aspect of health care, the power in the message is removed.
Take diet as an example. When a doctor says, "you need to eat a healthy diet to improve your cholesterol." That is great but without the follow up on specifics, it means very little. As we know "healthy diet" means different things to different people. If the doctor follows this statement up with a prescription to lower your cholesterol, the message is clear. Take this medicine and you don't have to worry as much about your diet.
Naturopathic doctors know that teaching is an important part of the prescription.
Take diet as an example. When a doctor says, "you need to eat a healthy diet to improve your cholesterol." That is great but without the follow up on specifics, it means very little. As we know "healthy diet" means different things to different people. If the doctor follows this statement up with a prescription to lower your cholesterol, the message is clear. Take this medicine and you don't have to worry as much about your diet.
Naturopathic doctors know that teaching is an important part of the prescription.