Faculty Spotlight: Jane Guiltinan, ND, Devotes Leadership Skills to Natural Medicine

If Jane Guiltinan wished to be a singer, she would likely be performing on Broadway right now. If she were interested in politics, she would probably be on a presidential cabinet. But from a young age, Dr. Guiltinan dedicated herself to medicine and improving the lives of others. And as a result, Bastyr Center for Natural Health has an incredible leader and talented physician who has profoundly impacted her students, her patients and the field of natural medicine.

As former medical director and former dean of clinical affairs at Bastyr University's teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health, as well as the current president of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), Dr. Guiltinan has spent the majority of her medical career in leadership positions. Never content to simply practice medicine and go home at 5 p.m., her ambitions always led her to become more deeply involved. "I enjoy participating at the management level, to be a part of the process of steering the major direction of an organization," she explains. "I want to help as many people as possible to realize their full healing potential, and to me that involves addressing the big picture – improving people's options and ensuring the integrity of the natural medicine field."

But even if Dr. Guiltinan didn't have this drive, she would have been noticed amongst her peers simply for her outstanding abilities as a physician and teacher. Her loyal and enthusiastic patients appreciate her ability to cut to the core of an issue – a skill that likely serves her in a management capacity as well – and to address all aspects of their health and well-being. As one patient, Kate, explains, "Dr. Guiltinan's approach is so thorough and sensible that you just can't help but trust her. She has helped me discover new and better ways to address long-standing health problems, and working with her has given me renewed faith in medicine." At the teaching clinic, Dr. Guiltinan's shifts are considered by students to be one of the most desirable training opportunities available.

In each of her endeavors, Dr. Guiltinan has found a way to help raise awareness and acceptance of natural medicine. Dr. Guiltinan has helped bridge the worlds of conventional medicine and natural medicine by serving on boards and in advisor roles. In 1998, she was the first naturopathic physician in the U.S. to serve on a public hospital board, at Harborview Medical Center, and she remains on the board today. She also was chosen to be a consultant to the University of Washington's medical school to help develop its complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) curriculum. She also served as a consultant on the advisory boards of insurance companies and HMOs when insurance companies began to cover naturopathic services in the state of Washington.

Dr. Guiltinan has been involved at the ground level in important projects such as the King County Medicine Clinic, the first government-run natural medicine clinic, located in Kent, Washington. She was co-medical director for that clinic, which began in the late 1990s and continues to operate today. She has published her research in a variety of publications, including the Annals of Internal Medicine and the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine and has served as a peer reviewer for a number of medical journals. She is also a popular public speaker, particularly on women's health. The depth of her knowledge as a physician and her straightforward demeanor garners respect from all who come into contact with her.

Her own path to choosing medicine – and eventually naturopathic medicine – was one that began in junior high school in the state of Ohio. Around seventh grade, Dr. Guiltinan realized that she loved the idea of helping people and "learning about the body and how to fix it." She volunteered as a candy striper at a local hospital and later took a job at the hospital cafeteria. She was so focused on her newfound career goal that she took Latin in high school because she heard it would be helpful for medical school.

As an undergraduate, Dr. Guiltinan stayed focused on medicine, earning a bachelor of science degree in medical technology from Ohio State University. Afterward she worked as a medical technologist in San Francisco for eight years. Although she had intended to apply to medical school after obtaining her bachelor's degree, she had advanced into supervisory and management roles, loved her work, and didn't feel an urgent need for a change.

Perhaps she had simply been waiting for a sign. She received one in 1982 when she was at a women's music festival near Yosemite National Park and was volunteering at a first aid tent to cover her registration costs. Suddenly she heard a woman's loud voice nearby exclaim, "I'm a naturopathic medical student, and I'm learning to use diet, herbs and vitamins to help people."

Dr. Guiltinan stood at rapt attention to the woman's words, experiencing what she calls, "a cliché light bulb moment." She instantly knew that naturopathic medicine was what she wanted to pursue. Upon returning home, she visited the library and looked up everything she could find about the profession. She applied to and was accepted at Pacific College of Naturopathic Medicine in Marin County, California.

Shortly thereafter, she found out that the school had closed. She immediately flew to Seattle to interview at Bastyr University. Dr. Guiltinan says chose Bastyr University because, "I liked Seattle a lot better than Portland – it's a more interesting city in a beautiful natural environment. I also felt like the program seemed more rigorous." She was accepted to Bastyr and moved to Seattle one month later.

It wasn't long before Dr. Guiltinan started to work her way into the fabric of Bastyr's leadership, even as a student. During her second year in school, the instructor of the Laboratory Diagnosis class was unable to teach one quarter, and the school was seeking another instructor. Dr. Guiltinan was working part-time as a medical technician at Puget Sound Blood Center and people knew she had been a medical technician for 8-10 years, so she was a natural fit. "I guess I must've been overconfident," she says, because she didn't hesitate to say yes. She was then asked to teach microbiology the following year and was offered a residency position at Bastyr after graduation. She had planned to return to San Francisco after graduation, but changed her mind when offered the residency. By the time she was done with two years of residency, she was offered a faculty position. She decided to stay in Seattle for good.

Things took off from there. Only four years into her job as a faculty member at Bastyr's teaching clinic, she was appointed medical director. Six years later she became dean of clinical affairs. And, although this meant she never made to back to San Francisco, she hasn't looked back. "Being in Seattle is working out beautifully," she exclaims, almost 20 years later. She's grown to love the city and she enjoys her work. She lives in a great neighborhood that provides an oasis from the city while still being only five minutes from downtown. And now, when she visits San Francisco, she finds it "much too intense!"

Nevertheless, throughout the years, her leadership positions at Bastyr have had their own level of intensity and have consumed a lot of energy and time. So, these days she has simplified her life by focusing on teaching and practicing medicine at Bastyr, and she has directed her leadership efforts toward the field at large. She feels a true sense of purpose in serving as president of AANP. "The reason I took a position on the board was that I felt that the AANP needed to do more to support states' licensing efforts," she explains. Since Dr. Guiltinan arrived on the board in 2002, the board has stepped up its efforts to advocate for states to become licensed, and has become a well-coordinated, more smoothly running operation. Now during her second year as president, she says, "Our biggest priority is to help states improve their ability to successfully launch licensing campaigns." Washington, DC, became a licensed jurisdiction for naturopathic physicians a few years ago, as did Idaho and Kansas. Dr. Guiltinan says New York will become licensed in the next two to four years. "It's very challenging," she reflects. "Only 15 states are licensed right now, and many are making strides while some are just beginning their efforts. It takes time, money and resources to make it happen. For me, contributing to this effort is very satisfying."

Research remains central to Dr. Guiltinan's work. She recently published the results of a study she conducted on black cohosh for managing menopausal symptoms, and she is planning to continue conducting research in the area of women's health. Even though Dr. Guiltinan started out with an interest in HIV/AIDS – servings as coordinator of the immune wellness clinic for HIV/AIDS for several years after completing her residency. Women's health gradually replaced that as her specialty area, as she saw a majority of female patients. She also was co-investigator of a study in 1991 on the naturopathic treatment of fibroid tumors in women, which reinforced this interest.

Over the years, Dr. Guiltinan has deepened her focus in women's health – especially menopausal issues -- and the public's attention has been increasingly focused there as well. "Since the results of the Women's Health Initiative were published in 2002, there are lots of women who have gone cold turkey off their hormones," says Dr. Guiltinan. "There is still an urgent need for care and for research in that area. It's important to try to look for effective therapies that are safe."

In all her years of conducting studies, seeing patients and interacting with the natural and conventional medical community, she has remained a firm believer in nature as a powerful healer. "Very basic elements – air, light, water, touch, love and laughter -- are some of the most powerful healing agents we have," she says. "If I can help people understand that and incorporate it into their lives, it's sometimes astounding what positive things can happen." She adds, "Even in conditions like HIV/AIDS, it can be about living the best they can live with these conditions."

However, Dr. Guiltinan believes that all forms of medicine have an important place, and she regards them with respect. "There's room for all of it," she says. "In reality, the motivation is the same. What's different between conventional and natural medicine is the understanding of what brings health and well-being. There's sickness and disease management; and then there's wellness, prevention, and optimizing vitality – even with illness."

She encourages people to realize they don't have to choose either natural or conventional medicine. Instead, she says, "It's really about putting together a team to optimize your life and help you reach your goals and highest potentials." She continues, "I picture it as a wheel with spokes. The patient is at the center, and the team members or spokes include loved ones and all the things in their lives that go into making a smooth running wheel that gives them vitality, abundance and joy. A naturopathic physician might be one of those spokes."

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Guiltinan at Bastyr Center for Natural Health or learn more about our health providers at Bastyr Center, call (206) 834-4100.