Meet Dr. Buxbaum

I am a Naturopathic Physician, licensed in the State of Arizona as a primary care physician since 2011. I attended The University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ where I received my Bachelors of Science in Nutritional Science (Dietetics) in 2006. My medical training was completed at Sonoran University of Health Sciences (Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine) in Tempe, AZ in 2011. I feel incredibly privileged to have had the access, support, and passion to spend so much of my life acquiring knowledge that enables me to help improve the health of others.

From a young age, I knew that I wanted to be a doctor; although I may not have known exactly what type of physician I would become, I knew what I expected medicine to be. For me, medicine is looking for the root cause of the problem, using the least invasive or concerning treatment necessary, always keeping the whole person in mind, and always valuing the power of the body to heal itself.

My journey with Naturopathic Medicine specifically began as a teenager when dealing with anxiety. A physician discovered I had notable food sensitivities and ultimately helped me tremendously. While he was not a Naturopathic Physician, it was not his title as an M.D. that amazed me, but rather how he practiced. He treated his patients as a whole person; no longer was I just my condition as he looked for causes and then used the best tools he had for the job. For me, Naturopathic Medicine is the best blend of this as our toolbox has conventional options such as prescriptions but also nutrition, supplements, and botanicals. It’s a type of medicine where many tools are available, where the patient is not just an organ or disease, where the power of our body’s innate healing ability is respected, and where the root cause is sought.

Born in rural Montana where my family farmed and ranched, I was fortunate to spend a great amount of time in an environment that taught me much about the character of people, animals, our food, and this land. In fact, my first anatomy lessons were held on the ranch both witnessing life begin and end. It still amazes me how many of my perspectives on health and medicine stem from these roots. Sometimes we make things more complicated than necessary and often forget we have many of the resources already available to us, it simply takes the knowledge and tools to use them. Being many miles away from a hospital or doctor makes you first ask, “What do I already know and what do I have available to me?” I enjoy helping patients create their own skills and take charge of the aspects of their health that they can.

I have spent much of my adult life in the Phoenix, Arizona area with the exception of my memorable time in Tucson. You will typically find me hiking, camping, traveling, and exploring our state and parks.