“Healthcare is changing
rapidly. There are
new, exciting opportunities
for integrative practitioners
to be on the front
lines of primary care.”
Teamwork, free lunch
and integrative medicine
Dr. Paul Rubin, NUHS Alumnus 1980
Co-Founder of WholeHealth Chicago
“I was injured playing high school basketball
and didn’t heal until I saw a chiropractic
physician. That’s how I first became
interested in medicine and it is while
studying at National that I began to
understand the power of an integrative
health model. I began a solo practice
after graduating and although I enjoyed it,
I could see the limitations of working
alone. So I hired a physical therapist and
massage therapist and that’s how the
practice began to grow.
“Today, we have 16 providers, including
MDs, chiropractic physicians,
acupuncturists, nutritionists, clinical
psychologists, massage therapists,
a physical therapist, a homeopath, an
osteopath and a healing touch
practitioner. The vast majority of our
patients see multiple providers here.
We’re constantly collaborating—whether
it’s dropping into an exam room for a
spur-of-the-moment consult or having a
quick huddle in the hall—to ensure
they benefit from our individual areas
of expertise.
“Our case conferences really illustrate
the power of this multidisciplinary model.
Each week we close the clinic for two
hours, order lunch, and the entire staff sits
together to discuss patients. We work
as an integrative team to develop a care plan
that combines the best conventional
and alternative therapies.
“Being a practitioner in this type of
environment is incredibly rewarding. I am
constantly learning from my colleagues
and spend my days empowering people to
care for themselves in ways they didn’t
know they could.”