Dr. Nina Manipon
Sonoran: Did you always know you would focus on women’s health in your practice?
Dr. Manipon: This evolved. At Sonoran, I was on almost every single shift with Dr. Messer (the chair of Sonoran’s homeopathy department). I really, really loved homeopathy and thought that was the direction I was going to go. While I was at the University of Bridgeport [for a residency], I ended up doing a lot of women’s medicine—working with perimenopausal women and focusing more on women and their needs. It ended up being something that I really gravitated toward.
Sonoran: Do you work with other health practitioners?
Dr. Manipon: I have worked with a variety of healthcare professionals to date, including chiropractors, acupuncturists, nutritionists, gastroenterologists, nurse practitioners and psychiatrists. I recently networked with an integrative OB/GYN and will be seeing patient referrals from her. Many patients come to me to get off of their medications, and I tell them that my goal is to help them feel better; then, when their symptoms improve, they can go back to their doctor and say, “Hey, I’m feeling so much better. Is there a way that I can reduce the dosage of my medications or come off of my medication?” And many of the prescribing doctors that I’ve worked with have been open to this.
Sonoran: What is some of the most common feedback you get from patients?
Dr. Manipon: I get a lot of feedback that I’m their true advocate. And that they’ve never felt listened to before, which I think is so important. I feel like we have a sick-care system in our country right now. No one’s focusing on health and improving health, and telling patients that it doesn’t always have to be this way. There is another way. It’s about giving them faith in the medical system again—that there are naturopathic doctors out there who will listen to them, who care, who want to understand the root cause of their illness and who want them to get better.
Sonoran: What is the most valuable thing that you learned at Sonoran that helps you have a thriving practice?
Dr. Manipon: There’s so much that I learned at Sonoran – it can’t be just one thing! I think the education that I got at Sonoran was top notch. I still refer back to my notes from school and I still call my colleagues. Sonoran gave me a really great foundation with both the clinical and basic sciences, which has helped me to continue to grow, learn and further my knowledge even more.
The total experience I had at Sonoran was so valuable—working with such great mentors who not only taught but had thriving practices. The experience of working in different clinical settings at the medical center and various off-site rotations gave me the ability to work with various doctors, patient populations and personalities. I worked with so many people with different backgrounds and cultures. So again, the total experience has helped me run a thriving practice.
To learn how Sonoran can prepare YOU for a rewarding career in medicine, contact admissions@sonoran.edu or call 480.858.9100.