For those of you who don't know me well, my name is Ryan Best and I grew up in the small town of Brighton, Ontario. From the time I took my first biology class in high school, I knew that I had a passion for learning about the human body and health. I was fascinated with the body's ability to adapt to a variety of environmental stressors, acute injuries and chronic pathologies in order to maintain proper function. I always wanted to learn more, so I decided that a university education was the path I needed to take. I knew that my parents would not be able to afford funding my education, so I worked diligently on my academics, volunteering and community involvement in order to acquire the scholarships I needed to attend university. As a result I was able to obtain the funds i needed to cover about 75% of my university fees. I chose to do my undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph, completing the 4 year honours program in Biology with a minor in nutrition.
What led me to Naturopathic Medicine?
I was set on the path of allopathic medicine, but I decided I wanted to see more of the world before I went to grad school (and pay off some of my accrued debt), so I got a job teaching English in South Korea. I taught there for a year and a half and had a great experience soaking in a new culture, meeting great people, and seeing the beautiful sites that Korea had to offer. While I was teaching there I was exposed to a completely different style of medicine, one where medical doctors do not rely exclusively on conventional therapeutics, surgeries and pharmaceuticals, and instead incorporate the use of herbal remedies and alternative therapies in order to achieve a more efficacious treatment for disease.
I began doing research into natural therapies and I discovered naturopathic medicine. As I continued to research, it struck a chord with me that medicine does not have to be simply the treatment of symptoms, which all of us have experienced and has become the norm in western medicine. Naturopathic medicine teaches that as physicians we need to elucidate and treat the cause of disease rather than simply removing symptoms, and to do this by working with the natural processes in our bodies to return to a healthy state. Naturopathic Physicians are trained to deal with the body as a whole, respecting the mind body connection and treating patients on an emotional, mental and physical level. I loved the idea that Naturopathic Doctors are able to spend a great deal of time with each patient, allowing us to learn more about the needs of that person and get to know them on a much deeper level. Education is another important aspect of the profession, teaching people natural methods of maintaining and improving health, empowering them to be able to feel vibrant each and every day and take control of their own health. This approach to health management will result in a much more complete and effective treatment for each patient.
I am currently studying Naturopathic Medicine at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in New Westminster, BC. I'm on track to graduate in 2017 as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. My four-year, 5000-hour program includes 1500 hours of clinical training. Some of the modalities in which I am receiving training include:
Outside of school I'm an avid nature fanatic, spending most of my time hiking and exploring the amazing scenery that BC has to offer. Any activity that involves adrenaline I'm probably going to try, longboarding in the summer, skiing in the winter and everything in between. I love to travel and I'm always planning the next trip for an adventure in a new country.
Here's a picture of me and my partner in crime, Timber :)
What led me to Naturopathic Medicine?
I was set on the path of allopathic medicine, but I decided I wanted to see more of the world before I went to grad school (and pay off some of my accrued debt), so I got a job teaching English in South Korea. I taught there for a year and a half and had a great experience soaking in a new culture, meeting great people, and seeing the beautiful sites that Korea had to offer. While I was teaching there I was exposed to a completely different style of medicine, one where medical doctors do not rely exclusively on conventional therapeutics, surgeries and pharmaceuticals, and instead incorporate the use of herbal remedies and alternative therapies in order to achieve a more efficacious treatment for disease.
I began doing research into natural therapies and I discovered naturopathic medicine. As I continued to research, it struck a chord with me that medicine does not have to be simply the treatment of symptoms, which all of us have experienced and has become the norm in western medicine. Naturopathic medicine teaches that as physicians we need to elucidate and treat the cause of disease rather than simply removing symptoms, and to do this by working with the natural processes in our bodies to return to a healthy state. Naturopathic Physicians are trained to deal with the body as a whole, respecting the mind body connection and treating patients on an emotional, mental and physical level. I loved the idea that Naturopathic Doctors are able to spend a great deal of time with each patient, allowing us to learn more about the needs of that person and get to know them on a much deeper level. Education is another important aspect of the profession, teaching people natural methods of maintaining and improving health, empowering them to be able to feel vibrant each and every day and take control of their own health. This approach to health management will result in a much more complete and effective treatment for each patient.
I am currently studying Naturopathic Medicine at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in New Westminster, BC. I'm on track to graduate in 2017 as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. My four-year, 5000-hour program includes 1500 hours of clinical training. Some of the modalities in which I am receiving training include:
- Clinical Nutrition
- Botanical Medicine
- Homeopathy
- Traditional Asian Medicine
- Psychological Counseling
- Physical Medicine
- Pharmaceuticals
Outside of school I'm an avid nature fanatic, spending most of my time hiking and exploring the amazing scenery that BC has to offer. Any activity that involves adrenaline I'm probably going to try, longboarding in the summer, skiing in the winter and everything in between. I love to travel and I'm always planning the next trip for an adventure in a new country.
Here's a picture of me and my partner in crime, Timber :)