The practice of medicine immerses us in the full spectrum of the human experience---joy and suffering, health and grief. We are called not only to address physical illness but also to enter into and engage deeply with the pain of the emotional and spiritual wounds of those we serve.

Open, honest and transparent conversations are the key to bridging ideological divides. As a traditionally trained, conventional medical doctor, I adopted the symptom-based approach to medicine with drugs and surgery as first line treatment for disease. But I now understand that the paradigm we learned in medical school is only part of the equation for healing and creating optimal health.