After 21 years of naturopathic medical practice and teaching students at Bastyr University, Joshua Rubinstein, ND, has come to University of Western States as its new associate dean of the College of Clinical Education in Naturopathic Medicine.
Working with students in a clinical setting, “I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t,” Dr. Rubinstein says.
Dr. Rubinstein has published a chapter for the “Naturopathic Foundations Textbook”and worked with Bastyr University as its clinical sciences chair, even being elected as a faculty senator.
Says Dr. Rubinstein, “I look forward to doing more leadership work here [with University of Western States] as well.”
He feels eager to work on designing a new clinic program and sharing his knowledge. “I wanted to find a place where I felt like I could make a meaningful contribution and that I could actually be of service, especially in a leadership role,” he says.
Staying Grounded in a Clinical Setting
From his time in his clinic, Dr. Rubinstein has gained skills he plans to share with students at University of Western States. First is how to connect with patients. As much as he can, he holds space for patients to process whatever they need to. “It’s important to me that patients feel safe and supported in their time with us in the clinic. There’s an art to that.”
He takes time to get to know his patients, understanding their diets, exercise habits, stress levels, and sleep health. These are areas not always covered in a typical primary doctor visit, but it’s important for naturopathic doctors to go deep into these foundations of health.
“In the long term especially, we need to address all those aspects of a person’s health that are those foundational pieces in order to really have lasting change,” Dr. Rubinstein says.
Teachings to Come
Other areas that his students will focus on include dermatology, chronic pain, and autoimmune diseases. Opioids are often prescribed to manage pain, but with naturopathic medicines, homeopathic medicine, and nutrition, there are ways to modulate and reduce inflammation in the body that are typically much safer than conventional medications, Dr. Rubinstein says.
Developing relationships with mentors has been helpful to Dr. Rubinstein in his career, so he encourages his students to do the same, arming themselves with the ability to connect and ask questions even after graduation. Dr. Rubinstein aims to provide students with the skills to be successful in both the business and health care aspects of practicing naturopathic medicine.
The Future of the Field
“I think that this medicine has so much to offer,” Dr. Rubinstein says. As a father of three, he’s grateful to homeopathic medicines for managing struggles of early childhood, such as teething pains. He was able to help his children in a very safe and cost-effective way, which is one aspect of naturopathic medicine that he loves.
He sees a necessity for naturopathic medicine doctors in the primary care environment and hopes to see those roles become more widely accepted. Similarly, he would like to see residency opportunities continue to expand, especially for positions in VA medical facilities, for example, where he thinks naturopathic doctors can greatly help our veterans.
“We’re a fairly small profession, but I think we pack a lot of punch.”