Traditional Roots Institute: Lecture - Growing Your Backyard Pharmacy
$10-$25: Friday, Feb. 20, 6 to 8 p.m., NCNM Campus. Guest Speaker: Alexis Durham
Spend an evening learning how to grow some of the most important and useful medicinal plants in your garden. REGISTRATION
Women in Balance: Women's Health Day - Menarche to Menopause Wellness Workshop
Saturday, Feb. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., NCNM Campus
Meet local doctors, attend some fabulous classes, receive a free souvenir tote bag, and enjoy a whole-foods lunch. MORE INFO & REGISTRATION
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PLAN SUPPORT - NCNM President David Schleich (left), Public Relations & Communications Director Marilynn Considine and Director of Campus Development Keith North supported potential access and safety enhancements for the Lair Hill neighborhood before the Portland City Council last week. (See story below) Photo: City of Portland
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Strong Advocate of Naturopathic Medicine Dies
 Prominent Iowa lawyer Brent "Chris" Green, a leader of the fight to license NDs in Iowa, passed away recently. Green, whose daughter Casey is a 2007 ND graduate of NCNM, battled lung cancer and a brain tumor in recent years. Despite his illness, he continued to lobby the Iowa Legislature to pass a licensure bill.
Said NCNM President David Schleich, "Chris Green leveraged his cancer diagnosis to sponsor legislation and generate many newspaper articles and TV news reports on the benefits of naturopathic options in the support of cancer treatment. His testimony to legislators and publicity was the single most influential contribution to Iowa legislation." A bill has yet to pass, but ND advocates are continuing the fight in this year's assembly. View obituary in the Des Moines Register.
Students, NCNM Lobby Congress on Residencies
Members of the Naturopathic Medical Student Association (NMSA) delivered some 1,200 signatures and a letter from NMSA President Desta Golden, an NCNM student, to a Congressional committee on healthcare policies. The goal: rule changes that would include ND graduates in the federally-funded Graduate Medical Education residency program. ND residencies are now primarily funded from private sources.
"Access to post-graduate medical education and residencies are a top priority for students and in turn the Naturopathic Medical Student Association," said Golden. "Residency allows the opportunity for medical students to transition from freshly minted doctors to seasoned clinicians."
She added, "I am consistently amazed at the great strides students can make when we band together for a common goal."
The student effort also got a boost from Leslie Fuller, ND ('09), associate dean of residency and academics at NCNM's School of Naturopathic Medicine. Dr. Fuller submitted an open letter to the House Subcommittee on Health advocating for the residencies. "The limited number of residency opportunities available to naturopathic physicians continues to be a profound challenge for the naturopathic profession-effectively forcing most graduates to enter practice without the benefit of additional training beyond medical school," she wrote, adding that NDs "represent a viable and effective solution to the critical shortage of primary care providers (PCPs) in the United States."
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City Approves Southwest Corridor Plan Funding
 The Portland City Council has approved an intergovernmental agreement to help fund the final phases of regional transportation planning. In a meeting last week, the council heard from NCNM representatives who spoke in favor of enhanced safety and better access to campus as part of the Southwest Corridor Plan. The multi-year effort is being led by the Metro regional government to recast transportation systems from downtown Portland to Tigard and Tualatin.
At issue: whether to designate SW Naito Parkway or SW Barbur Boulevard for light rail or bus rapid transit. Planners are also analyzing ways to reduce traffic congestion on Naito, improve safety and access for cars, pedestrians and bicyclists and support livable communities in the area. Metro could make a decision on the preferred route as early as July. The final plan will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation to be approved for federal funding. The plan can be viewed on the Metro website.
 Lovin' that Oatmeal Video -- Congratulations to ND and MAc student Danielle Anderson, whose "Oatmeal Love" video received the most votes to represent NCNM and compete in the annual Bob's Red Mill speech contest. Danielle placed third in the overall competition, but as a finalist, she reeled in a $3,000 scholarship. It was all part of the Sixth Annual Integrative Medicine Day hosted by the Student Alliance for Integrative Medicine (SAIM), sponsored by Bob's Red Mill and NCNM, and held at OMSI Jan. 31.
 Herbal Essence -- The NCNM Library now has an Herb Library to aid in the study of medicinal plants, located in the larger of the two conference rooms. Says College Librarian Noelle Stello, "This is a permanent collection of 165 single herbs in display jars, organized by action. Dr. Joon Hee Lee provided guidance in the selection of herbs, and student Shelby Smith and the NCNM Medicinary worked hard to fill and label the jars."
Food Banking --- The NCNM community collected nearly 300 pounds of food during the recent annual drive for the Oregon Food Bank, according to campus receptionist Terra Miezwa, who worked with the Staff Association to coordinate the event. So who "won" the campus competition? Folks in the Administration Building donated about 134 pounds to take first place, followed by the NCNM Clinic at 87 pounds and the Academic Building with 77 pounds. Thanks to all who donated!
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 The Portland Business Journal's healthcare blog featured NCNM's Master Plan on Jan. 29, including plans to vacate Hooker Street in favor of a permaculture "food forest" featuring bee hives, and the use of aquaponics in a sustainable landscape system to grow fresh, organic vegetables. The story is currently the 15th most read on the PBJ site.
OPB's "Think Out Loud" host Dave Miller interviewed OANP Board Director (and NCNM graduate) Jeff Clark, ND ('07), along with Oregon's Health CO-OP CEO Ralph Prows for their views concerning the Affordable Care Act and its mandate for insurance plans to include coverage for naturopathic physicians-and how that requirement is playing out in Oregon. Click here to listen.
National College of Natural Medicine salutes its faculty and graduates who were listed in Portland Monthly magazine's annual "Top Docs" issue, on newsstands in January.
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Licensing Heats Up in Colorado, Pennsylvania -- Colorado NDs are seeking support for a bill before a legislative committee that would extend current licensing to authorize treatment of children under two years of age. The bill (HB 15-1075) has the support of the Colorado Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Colorado Medical Society, but is opposed by the Children's Hospital Colorado. Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, Senator Jay Costa will be introducing legislation that would license naturopathic doctors in the state. Representative Mark Mustio will be the prime sponsor of a concurrent bill to license NDs in the House of Representatives. More info at the Pennsylvania General Assembly website.
Greenwashing and BPA Plastic-- NCNM alumna Alicia Bigelow, ND ('04), recently published an article titled "Getting the Bis out of the Vis" in the Naturopathic Doctor News and Review (NDNR). The article traces the history, hazards and current use of the "plasticizing and endocrine-disrupting chemical, bisphenol A (BPA)." Originally created as a synthetic estrogen and widely used in plastic containers, BPA has been banned from some uses. However, says Dr. Bigelow, some of the alternatives being used may not be any healthier.
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Caitlan Readhead
ND, MSiMR, MScN programs
Caitlan, who is from North Carolina, became interested in the mind-body connection and health care for the whole person after visiting a naturopathic doctor there. She says NCNM's degree programs have been a great fit which will open the door to many future career opportunities. She also appreciates the sense of caring and enthusiasm among students and faculty. Caitlan is working on a research study using herbs for healing knee pain in endurance runners. She'd like to work with athletes in a college or sports rehab setting and also pursue dietary research.
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Congratulations to Kara Hayes, Admissions, who has been promoted from admissions counselor to events and activities manager. With the new assignment, she now supervises more work-study students and Admissions receptionist Kelley Cruz. Kara adds she's also continually working to perfect NCNM's Interview Day and Exploration Day experience.
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"Seaweed" Packs 'Em In - The documentary film "The Old Man and the Seaweed: The Life of Dr. Ryan Drum," about one of NCNM's adjunct faculty members, played to a packed house at the Clinton Street Theater Jan. 31.
Veggies for patients, campus - NCNM is partnering with Zenger Farm on a pilot project this spring offering prescription vegetables for patients at the NCNM Clinic. The Community Supported Agriculture Program (RxCSA) will also allow staff, faculty and students to subscribe and receive a weekly box of organic, local, seasonal vegetables from June-November with pick-up at NCNM. Watch for more news about this soon...
CPA Visit - Even certified public accountants are finding their way to NCNM! The college hosted a group of CPAs from the Oregon Society of CPAs last week in Betty Radelet Hall, part of a workshop on nonprofit funding. The group heard from President David Schleich and enjoyed a campus tour led by Advancement's Sasha Steiner.
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