Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Megan Hammel.
Dr. Hammel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
If I had to pick a theme for my story, it would definitely be taking the road less traveled, choosing option B over option A, going the unconventional route, being the black sheep, the lone wolf, or the rescue dog. I never intentionally tried to be different, but the clear or standard option never quite suited me. This combined with my innate ability to anticipate, identify, and meet the needs of those around me led me to become a Naturopathic Doctor and then later to open my own practice here in Denver, Colorado.
Being the oldest of three by a decent margin provided plenty of opportunities to hone my excellent caregiving tendencies. My sister suffering several strokes in infancy and my brother developing asthma also set the stage for my fascination with healthcare as the ultimate “caring” profession. I was a good student and graduated high school at 17, going straight to university the same year. Starting out in business seemed prudent and offered endless career options, but as the years went on, I realized I needed a more hands-on way to care for people. About halfway through, I added my premed requisites and muddled through physics and biochemistry.
As my interest in science and medicine grew, I began accumulating practical experience as was expected for prospective medical school applicants. I did research at Denver Health. I volunteered on the oncology floor at Children’s Hospital Colorado. I worked with a rheumatoid clinic serving elderly and chronically ill patients. I was employed as a medical assistant at a small family practice and after graduating, I took a position as a full-time research assistant in a pediatric emergency room. I was on track and well-prepared to apply to medical school.
During my first interview for medical school, I was asked to close my eyes, imagine and then describe what it looked like for me to be a doctor. This request caught me by surprise. By closing my eyes before answering, I was immediately taken out of the present context and abandoned the notion of giving the “correct answer.” Instead I plunged into my own dreams, beliefs, and desires. What did I think a doctor could be? Where was there a need in the landscape of healthcare? What was I best suited to do?
For all of my qualifying medical experience, when asked to close my eyes, one particular experience stood out in my mind. I realized that I had witnessed excellent patient care administered by an integrative pediatric provider whom I had shadowed. She spent a full hour with families. Her patients were often children for whom conventional medicine was not enough help, and the parents’ relief was palpable. The treatments were gentle and didn’t come with a lengthy list of side-effects. When I opened my eyes, I realized that was the kind of care I wanted to provide. As I described my answer, I could see from the interviewer’s face that my answer was not what they were looking for in a candidate. It was also apparent to me that I didn’t belong amongst the sea of black and beige pantsuits. For the interview, I had donned a teal skirt and polka dot blouse, with a black blazer.
Six months later, I found myself pondering my option B while volunteering in a small, humid-as-hell clinic in Hyderabad, India. At 22 years old, I had flown half way around the globe without a cellphone to see how far I could get from the western world. Daily at the open-air clinic, I was swarmed by patients, doctors, and mosquitoes. I worked alongside the volunteer physicians and was debriefed on each patient. One physician, Dr. Rangana, took me under her wing and cared for me when I ended up sick from Dengue fever. I got to experience India’s healthcare system first-hand. From my time there, I saw how healthcare intersected with extreme poverty. The sum of my experiences in India was learning the most cost-effective and preventative form of “health” care was nutrition and lifestyle.
When I came back to the states, I began researching alternative medical career paths. Naturopathic Medicine aligned deeply with my personal beliefs and maintained the scientific rigor that I craved. The principles of Naturopathic Medicine include first doing no harm (Primum non Nocere), trusting and engaging the healing power of nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae), treating the root cause (Tolle Causam), doctor as teacher (Docere), treating the whole person, and focusing on prevention. My strong research background had led me to be critical of anecdotal or “natural” treatments, but I discovered there were institutions that relied on research-driven, evidence-based clinical practice that treated the whole person, emphasized holistic therapies, and valued optimal health and quality of life. I applied, was accepted, studied like mad, and eventually graduated with honors four years later.
Adding to the excitement, I adopted a handful-of-a-rescue dog and endured a long-distance with my now-husband during the 4 years of my intensive program. See what I mean? I will say, I’ve encountered many challenges by taking unconventional routes, but this has enriched my life by far. And I can honestly say that jumping in with both feet has been well worth it.
Reflecting on my journey to this point, I am thrilled that my vision from nearly a decade ago has come to fruition and I am so grateful to have gone off the beaten path. The rest is history as they say, but I continue to travel the globe with my hubby, gathering insight, experience, and adventure, which fulfills my wolfy spirit.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s difficult to think of my own personal struggles while our nation comes to terms with the continued struggles of entire peoples. So, let me begin by putting my own “adversity” into perspective. I am also very lucky to be doing something that I both love and believe in, and that makes a difference. I’m also inspired to work harder, as certain legislation in Colorado affects my scope of practice. In states like Oregon and Washington, naturopathic doctors (NDs) operate like primary care physicians with prescriptive rights and insurance reimbursement. I frequently find myself at the Capitol building speaking to legislators to advocate for bills that align more with that system, but progress doesn’t always work as fast I’d like. Having said that, there are so many reasons why I work in Colorado. I was born here. I grew up here. I met my husband here, and want to raise a family here. I also saw a vacuum and a need in Colorado for the services I offer.
With regard to the current pandemic, my practice had to quickly pivot to be able to serve patients via telehealth. A blessing-in-disguise, offering telehealth has given me the opportunity to serve patients more easily durng the pandemic and allow patients with limited mobility or those who are immunocompromised risk-free access to naturopathic health care.
Children’s Naturopathic Center of Colorado – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Children’s Naturopathic Center of Colorado is my private practice. It opened in the Highlands neighborhood in 2018. Generally speaking, I specialize in the naturopathic care of pediatric patients. Within that, I excel in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD. I also naturopathically treat allergies, asthma, skin and GI issues, sleep and behavioral disorders, seizures, as well as general wellness and disease prevention. I offer nutritional counseling alongside other naturopathic modalities such as botanicals, supplementation, lifestyle recommendations, and homeopathy.
My education provided me with a large treatment toolbox to support pediatric health. In Colorado, I collaborate with each patient’s primary care doctor to bridge gaps and offer additional therapies for specific conditions or simply to boost general wellness. I often hear from parents who worry that there are no effective options for their children, and it is my pleasure to educate and share with them a myriad of supportive measures for their child’s health and wellbeing. From nutritional interventions, to specific vitamin/mineral supplementation, to botanical support— there is so much research to support the benefit and protectiveness of these therapies, with little-to-no risk to the patients, even long-term. These treatments can also enhance or increase effectiveness of conventional therapies when used in together.
My goal is for patients to feel comfortable and safe when they come into the office; this is especially important to me with regard to marginalized groups. I engage with the whole family in order to best meet their healthcare needs and develop sustainable and achievable treatment plans for their children. In particular, I spend a lot of time with my families— most doctor visits last 15-45 minutes including the physical exam, whereas my initial intake with all new patients is 90 minutes. This allows enough time for me to assess the child’s history completely, from birth to present, and to thoroughly address all concerns, which are often interrelated. The first visit also allows plenty of time for education and reviewing treatment options, so that the parents experience a supportive, collaborative relationship with me while making health care decisions.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Many of my patients have been through the ringer. They have seen multiple specialists and have received numerous treatment plans and prescriptions with minimum success. When they get to me, many parents are exhausted and frustrated. To address this kind of situation, I make sure that parents feel a part of their child’s treatment, and that their feelings and concerns are being carefully considered. I listen with both intention and patience, and I know how vital the information I receive from both the parent and the patient is. Raising a child takes a village, and keeping them healthy is a collaborative process that needs everybody on board. Healthy, happy kids are my measures of success.
Pricing:
- New Patient Visit (90 min) – $235 (offered in-person and via telehealth)
- Return Patient Visit (60 min) – $125 (offered in-person and via telehealth)
- Acute Patient Visit (45 min) – $95
Contact Info:
- Address: 3729 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211
- Website: https://nd4coloradokids.com/
- Phone: 720-519-2913
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nd4kids/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmeghammel/
Image Credit:
Gwen Phillips https://www.gracecreativestudios.com/
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