Naturopathic Medicine Community Care
Bastyr University's "external site program" provides basic natural health care to diverse, often underserved, populations throughout King County. The program consists of 12 sites where advanced naturopathic medicine (ND) students, under the supervision of Bastyr clinical faculty, provide free or reduced-rate care in urban and rural areas. On average, our students see more than 3,500 patients a year at these community clinics.
Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center
Location: Central District
Address: 2101 East Yesler Way, Seattle 98122
Phone Number: (206) 299-1900
Resident: Dave Deichert, ND
Patient Population: Multi-ethnic, low income, underserved
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Wednesdays, 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: Patient fee varies; sliding scale available. Patient must be an established client of the Country Doctor clinics. Please call Carolyn Downs for further information.
Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center is a community-based, non-profit medical clinic providing care to a diverse, urban, low-income population located in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood. A large percentage of care is directed toward acute medical needs, mental health dysfunctions, women’s health issues, and diabetes. The resident provides assessment of patient needs which may involve HIV/AIDS issues, fibromyalgia, hypertension, and diabetes prescribes medical care with the use of herbs, nutritional supplements and lifestyle counseling.
Consejo Counseling and Referral Services
Location: South Seattle, near Columbia Park
Address: 3808 South Angeline, Seattle 98118
Phone Number: 206 461 4880
Shift Supervisor: Kevin Connor, ND
Patient Population: Latino/Spanish-speaking
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Fridays, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: Free (patient must be an established client of Consejo)
Consejo Counseling and Referral Services is a private, not for profit organization that provides culturally competent mental health and family support services to a largely Latino population living in western Washington. The clinic is committed to serving the poor, uninsured/underinsured, ethnically diverse, and medically underserved residents of Seattle/King County. Students assigned to this shift are expected to treat patients who present with chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, infection, coughs and colds, mental health issues, edema, arthritis, and boils/cuts/bruises that exist due to lack of medical care.
Country Doctor Community Clinic
Location: Capitol Hill
Address: 500 19th Avenue East, Seattle 98112
Phone Number: 206 299 1600
Shift Supervisor: Karen Hurly, ND
Patient Population: Multi-ethnic, low income, underserved
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Wednesdays, 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: Patient fee varies; sliding scale available. Patient must be an established client of Country Doctor. Please call Country Doctor for further information.
The Country Doctor Clinic is a community-based, non-profit medical clinic providing care to a diverse, urban, low-income population located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. A large percentage of care is directed toward acute medical needs, mental health dysfunctions, women’s health issues, and diabetes. The naturopathic team provides assessment of patient needs which may involve HIV/AIDS issues, fibromyalgia, hypertension, and diabetes prescribes medical care with the use of herbs, nutritional supplements and lifestyle counseling.
Edmonds Senior Center
Location: Downtown Edmonds (near the Edmonds/Kingston Ferry landing)
Address: 220 Railroad Avenue, Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone Number: 425-774-5555
Shift Supervisor: Ryan Bradley, ND, MPH
Patient Population: Open to the public, community health
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Tuesdays, 12:30 – 4:30pm
Cost Per Visit: $15, sliding scale
This site is located in Edmonds, Washington, just north of Seattle and West of Kenmore. The Senior Center serves seniors in the community offering various activities, classes, exercise classes, nutrition and meal programs, and more. Edmonds Senior Center Naturopathic Clinic, however, is open to serve the community of Edmonds and Snohomish County. The site will focus on Naturopathic Primary Care Medicine.
Mary's Place
Location: Near downtown Seattle (at Denny Park Lutheran Church)
Address: 1830 9th Ave., Seattle, WA 98101
Phone Number: 206-621-8474
Shift Supervisor: Kristine Honda, ND
Patient Population: Homeless and formerly homeless women
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Homeopathy
Shift Schedule: Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Grand Rounds: Thursday 12:30 – 2:00p
Cost Per Visit: Free (women and children only)
http://www.churchofmarymagdalene.org/marysplace.htm
Mary’s Place is a day shelter for homeless and formerly homeless women, located in downtown Seattle. The shelter provides basic services such as showers, laundry facilities, and lunch, as well as computers, social service referrals, discussion groups, and movement classes. The Bastyr shift is a teaching clinic where students provide care consisting of basic medical assessment, advice for specific health concerns, vitamin, mineral and other supplements, and constitutional homeopathic care. Students treat patients who present with a range of health issues such as colds, digestive complaints, and wounds to hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, cancer, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, menstrual and menopausal complaints.
Pediactric Specialty Shift
Location: Kirkland
Address: Laurel Natural Medicine 9827 NE 120th Pl, Kirkland 98034
Phone Number: 425-814-0202
Shift Supervisors: Sheila Kingsbury, ND
Patient Population: Pediatrics, Family Practice
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Thursdays, 1pm – 5pm
Cost Per Visit: sliding scale, insurance
http://www.laurelnaturalmedicine.com
The pediatric specialty shift is currently located at the Laurel Natural Medicine clinic, a naturopathic family practice in Kirkland. Students enrolled in the pediatric teaching shift will provide naturopathic well child, acute care and chronic illness management. Students should expect to use a wide variety of naturopathic therapeutics including botanical medicine, diet, homeopathy, vitamin and mineral supplementation and some physical medicine.
Neighborcare: Formerly Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Centers
Serving a culturally diverse patient base, Bastyr University operates two external sites in collaboration with the private, non-profit Neighborcare Health. These sites provide valuable cross-cultural experience and opportunities for students to enhance their patient/provider interaction skills.
45th ST Homeless Youth Clinic
Location: Wallingford
Address: 1629 North 45th, Seattle 98103
Phone Number: 206-633 -3350
Shift Supervisor: Brendan Smith, ND
Patient Population: Homeless Youth
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care and Physical Medicine
Shift Schedule: Thursdays 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: Free (teens only)
http://www.neighborcare.org/clinics/homeless-youth-clinic
Bastyr University participates in the 45th St. Clinic’s specialty “Homeless Youth Clinic”. Public health concerns, adolescent development, and concerns around diversity and poverty are issues involved in treating patients. Due to their highly mobile lifestyles, fifty percent of the patients are persons who appear at the clinic for only one visit. The Bastyr Team provides acute care and works collaboratively with the clinic’s other providers on implementing treatment plans.
West Seattle Teen Health Center
Location: West Seattle High School
Address: 3000 California Ave, Seattle 98116
Phone Number: 206 461 6957
Kris Somol, ND
Patient Population: High school students, staff
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule:CLOSED SUMMER QUARTER; Wednesdays 8:00 am –12:30pm
Cost Per Visit: Free (patient must be a client of Neighborcare and attend the HS)
http://www.neighborcare.org/clinics/neighborcare-health-west-seattle-school-based-health-center
The West Seattle Teen Health Center provides health care in a teen friendly setting. These services include mental health counseling, medical check ups, routine physicals, sports physicals, reproductive health care, treatment for acute and chronic illness, immunizations, vision and hearing screening, dental referral, and lab tests. The Health Center also provides preventive education on tobacco, alcohol and other drug use, injuries and violence.
Senior Services
Senior Services is a private, non-profit agency created to serve senior citizens and their families living in Washington State. Bastyr University operates three external clinics with Senior Services.
Ballard NW Senior Activity Center
Location: Ballard, “Locks” area, at the corner of NW Market St and 32nd Ave NW
Address: 5429 32nd Ave NW, Seattle 98107
Phone Number: 206 297 0403
Shift Supervisor: Christian Dodge, ND
Patient Population: Senior Citizens & Open to the Public
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Fridays, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: Free
http://www.ballardseniorcenter.org
This recently remodeled facility, a two story, 5,000 square foot brick building, is located in Ballard near the "Locks" and the Shilshole Marina. Ballard Northwest is a community senior center of Senior Services a nonprofit agency, supporting the independence of seniors age 50 and above. This center provides outstanding programs, services and fun entertainment to seniors in Ballard and the surrounding areas. Students have the opportunity to provide patient care and some physical medicine services.
Sno-Valley Senior Center
Location: Carnation
Address: 4610 Stephens Avenue, Carnation 98014
Phone Number: 425 333 4152
Shift Supervisor: Dominika Zajdel, ND
Patient Population: Senior Citizens & Open to the Public
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Fridays, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: $5.00
http://www.snovalleysenior.org
This site is located in rural Carnation, Washington approximately 30 miles northeast of Seattle. As the site also doubles as a community center for the town and adjacent communities, the Bastyr shift is open to all residents of Carnation and other nearby communities. Bastyr students assess patients of all ages who may present with such complains as fatigue, cold/flu symptoms, menopause, diabetes and hypertension.
Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center
Location: Shoreline
Address: 18560 First Avenue Northeast #1, Seattle 98155
Phone Number: 206 365 1536
Shift Supervisor: John Hibbs, ND
Patient Population: Senior Citizens & Open to the Public
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Mondays, 7:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 12:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: $10
http://www.shorelinelfpseniorcenter.org
Located in the Shoreline neighborhood, this senior center shift started spring quarter 2005 and has already become extremely popular with the Shoreline/LFP Senior Center community. Students on this shift assess geriatric patients who may present with diabetes, skin disorders, hypertension, glaucoma, fatigue, and GI complaints.
YWCA
Location: Downtown Seattle
Address:2024 3rd Avenue Seattle 98121
Phone Number: 206 461 3660
Shift Supervisor: Robin Reddeman, ND. Katie Shaff, ND – will be on maternity leave for winter quarter
Patient Population: Homeless and low income women living in downtown Seattle
Modality: Naturopathic Medicine – Patient Care
Shift Schedule: Mondays, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Cost Per Visit: Free
https://www.ywcaworks.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=438
Located in downtown Seattle, the YMCA offers many programs that support the needs of working and homeless women and families. Students treat patients that present with conditions such as infections (upper respiratory, skin), poor nutrition, significant situational stress and musculoskeletal complaints. Our health teams provide primary healthcare and make a dramatic impact on the lives of patients. This shift provides students with a unique experience and perspective.
Frequently Asked Questions
To help you understand Bastyr's unique clinical education program better, we've answered some of the questions students often ask us.
How many clinical faculty do you have and what's the ratio of faculty to students?
We typically have 50-60 clinical faculty members, which includes six naturopathic medicine residents. The ratio of students to faculty is 6:1.
What happens during a typical patient appointment?
Usually, you will meet with your patient for 60 to 90 minutes. That time will be spent in taking a thorough history, conducting the physical exam, ordering diagnostic testing as required, making a diagnosis and formulating a treatment plan with the supervising physician.
How many off-site clinics do you have?
We currently have 12 Seattle-area community care sites at which ND students work 15 external shifts supervised by Bastyr's own clinical faculty, and the list continues to grow. Sites include a cancer wellness center at a local hospital, several clinics for the homeless and underserved, a clinic supporting the Latino population, homeopathy shifts at a women's homeless shelter and senior centers.
We also have a presence in the Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Clinics. These training sites provide students with opportunities to work closely with the Seattle community and to collaborate with service agencies and other health care providers.
What is a preceptorship and how does it fit into the clinical education program?
All ND students are required to accrue 132 hours in preceptorships. These hours are spent observing and "shadowing" health care professionals in their practices. Students choose and secure their own preceptors. A database containing hundreds of national and international opportunities is available to help you find the practitioner you would like to work with. Every year, students establish new preceptor sites based on their own contacts, areas of interest and regional preferences.
While at least 88 preceptorship hours must be spent with practicing naturopathic physicians, students may choose to include a mix of other health care professionals, such as medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy and chiropractors. Under the supervision of these preceptors, students may interact with patients, assist with some medical procedures, attend meetings with the practitioner, and learn about the business of running a practice.
How many patient contacts can I expect and how does the total compare with other schools?
Bastyr ND students receive a minimum of 1,200 clinical training hours. Those hours must include a minimum of 350 direct patient contacts in order to graduate. Most of our students, however, average 600 patient contacts by the time they earn their degree. It's hard to compare our patient contacts directly to those at other schools, since each school calculates its patient contacts differently. Some schools use contact hours as a form of measurement, while Bastyr counts any significant and supervised clinical interaction/contact with a patient, no matter what the length of time. (For example, two hours spent with one patient would be considered only one patient contact.) Bastyr does not apply patient interactions through preceptorship toward the required contacts.
About Naturopathic Medicine Clinical Training
At Bastyr University, we recognize that naturopathic medicine is much more than textbooks and medical equipment; it's a philosophy of life, which is complemented at Bastyr by the expert mentorship available through the School of Naturopathic Medicine.
Consistency and Quality in Training
At Bastyr's teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health, as well as at Bastyr's off-site community care clinics, you are trained to be a primary care physician capable of treating a broad spectrum of patients. This training emphasizes adherence to the highest standards in patient assessment, differential diagnosis, medical record documentation, referral practices and patient follow-up.
You will be taught by faculty who are outstanding physicians, many of whom are recognized leaders in their fields. Your shift supervisor encourages, leads and directs the patient/clinician encounter, while allowing you gradually increasing levels of autonomy.
Diverse Patient Population
Between the 35,000 yearly patient visits to Bastyr Center and our 12 community care clinic sites in the greater Seattle area, you will have many opportunities to treat a wide variety of patient populations, including:
- Pediatrics
- Geriatrics
- Non-English-speaking
- Low-income
While the majority of shifts concentrate on general medicine, specialized training shifts also are available in:
- Homeopathy
- Physical medicine (including hydrotherapy)
- Nutrition
- Lifestyle counseling
- Environmental medicine
- Immune wellness
- Minor office procedures (such as wound repair and skin lesion removal)
- Integrative pain clinic
- Integrated acupuncture and naturopathic medicine
- Diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- ADD/ADHD
- Lyme disease
Patient Contacts/Training Hours
- You will average close to 600 patient contacts through a minimum of 1,200 clinical training hours.
- Bastyr Center utilizes a Team Care training approach, assigning two advanced naturopathic student clinicians to one exam room with one instructor observing and supervising their work for an entire quarter.
- You will know in advance which patients you'll be seeing at Bastyr Center each day, giving you time to properly prepare.
- You also are required to complete 132 preceptor hours, spent observing and "shadowing" health care professionals in their practices.