Erin Sweet, a 2004 graduate of Bastyr University's naturopathic doctoral program, has set her sights on an ambitious goal: to bridge the fields of conventional and natural medicine. Toward that end, she has studied with leading physicians in integrative health care and recently secured a highly competitive research training fellowship by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Her training under this grant will allow her to become proficient in both conventional and CAM research methods and practices.
Briefly describe the work you do now.
I am a postdoctoral clinical research fellow at Bastyr University. My special focus is women's health, so I am currently researching evidence-based therapies for gynecologic cancer. The NIH-funded research fellowship allows me to train both with CAM scientists and researchers in conventional medicine. As part of my fellowship, I am pursuing a master's of public health in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Washington. I am also a practitioner at the Bastyr Integrated Oncology Research Clinic (BIORC), a new on-campus clinic where we provide integrative care for people with cancer and monitor treatment outcomes for research purposes.
What is your background, and how did you find your way to Bastyr?
After completing my Bachelor of Science degree from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, I worked in medical research for a number of years. During that time I volunteered at Aradia Women's Health Center in Seattle and became interested in pursuing education in women's health and midwifery. I chose to study at Bastyr University because I could combine the study of medicine with midwifery education and training.
How did you get into the work you're doing now?
After graduating from Bastyr, I completed a two-year residency, the first year at National College of Naturopathic Medicine and the second with Tori Hudson, a naturopathic physician at A Woman's Time in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Hudson truly practices integrated medicine and is committed to collaborative research between MDs and NDs. Largely because of this exposure, I became more interested in contributing to the field of naturopathic medicine as a research physician. After moving back to Seattle I became a research study coordinator at the Bastyr University Research Institute and a study physician for the NIH-funded Developmental Center for Research on CAM grant. That position taught me a tremendous amount about how clinical research is done. I decided to apply for the NIH postdoctoral fellowship and was awarded a position in March of this year.
What did you appreciate most about your degree program?
I did, and still do, appreciate the uniqueness of what is taught at Bastyr. It is a university unlike any other in this country. I believe the educational and research opportunities Bastyr offers are the key to moving toward more sustainable and robust provision of health care services in the U.S.
What's next for you? Where would you like to place your energies?
I plan to continue working toward greater understanding and acceptance of integrative medicine using evidence-based research methods as a tool. Broadly, my goal is to be part of a collaborative medical community in which naturopaths and conventional physicians work together to provide truly patient-centered care. I will continue participating in research and clinical practice here at Bastyr. I have the good fortune of doing work I enjoy and that I believe makes a positive contribution to the field of medicine. What more could I ask for?
