Meet Doctor 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 and autoimmune concerns. 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.
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine is a system of medicine that focuses on the prevention of illness and treatment in a less-invasive and holistic way. Naturopathic Medicine has been a part of the American healthcare system for over 100 years. Naturopathic Physicians skillfully blend modern elements of conventional medicine (including being licensed to prescribe pharmaceutical medications) with holistic and natural medicine modalities.
Naturopathic Physicians (NDs or NMDs) are trained as primary care physicians and are the only physicians trained as specialists in natural medicine from the start. Naturopathic Physicians are trained in four-year medical schools and are required to pass comprehensive national exams (NPLEX) in order to be licensed. Once licensed, they can diagnose and treat medical conditions, whether acute or chronic. In practice, Naturopathic Physicians perform and use the same diagnostic tools that patients have experienced with their Allopathic Physicians (MDs) including; thorough history taking, physical exams, laboratory/blood testing, x-rays, ultrasounds, etc. They work closely with other branches of medicine, referring patients to other qualified practitioners/specialists for diagnosis and/or treatment when necessary.
Naturopathic Physicians differ from conventional physicians in their philosophy of treatment and in certain treatment modalities.
- Addressing the cause of disease, not just suppressing symptoms.
- Treating the whole person, not just a particular organ or disease.
- Remembering that conditions are often connected.
- Respecting the body's innate ability to heal itself.
- Promoting prevention of illness and teaching you how to achieve your optimal level of health long before any devastating illness.
One of my favorite principles of Naturopathic Medicine has always been Docere, which means Doctor as Teacher. I am not sure when we stopped remembering that the word Doctor comes from the Latin word docere, which means “to teach.” I believe that medicine has lost a valuable skill in its all too often failure to educate the patient on how to take care of themselves as much as possible; empowering them to be an advocate for their health. I am passionate about teaching my patients and explaining to them not only their condition but also their options.
Dr. Dane Buxbaum
Additional Information:
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Article on Naturopathic Medicine
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2883816/
Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
* Above notations are based on Arizona medical licensure, licensure varies by state.
