I have always known that I wanted to help people heal but it took some navigating through the health system to land where I am today, helping people from many walks of life virtually. My journey began when I volunteered at a local Emergency Department in Laguna Beach, California. I salute those who work in the Emergency Department, but I knew early on that I wanted to impact my patients throughout multiple touch points. I then worked at a private pharmacy where I learned that it takes more than just a “pill for an ill” to treat a person. What kept me stimulated in health sciences was my undying interest in the human physiology and my passion to help people. During my undergraduate studies at the University of California Santa Cruz, I was surrounded by professionals partaking in the cutting edge of research in the human genome as well as the locals who stressed on the importance of eating organic and living holistically.

It was in Santa Cruz that I was introduced to the world of alternative and complementary medicine having tried Acupuncture for the first time to aid in my test anxiety, tension headaches and premenstrual symptoms. I also consulted with a nutritionist who helped me avoid the “Freshmen 15” by having me master the concept of mindful eating. Afterwards, I prepared myself for my Physician Assistant Graduate Program by working as a Physical Therapy Aid where it was only natural for me to teach my patients kinesiology having had a substantial dancing background.

Post-graduate studies, I knew I wanted to dive into the world of internal medicine and endocrinology, making a difference in individual’s lives while trying to create a domino effect on a public scale. At a very busy medical office of Endocrinology and Internal medicine in Downtown Los Angeles, I treated patients with complex endocrine pathologies and understood how our health is influenced by our environment and lifestyle.

At Cedars Sinai Medical Foundation in Beverly Hills, California, I was fortunate to build my backbone as a medical professional while working in Internal Medicine alongside exceptional physicians for close to four years.

I moved to Paris, France in the summer of 2019. It was not only my California lifestyle that clashed with the Pariseanne culture; my career was very American. I was very fortunate to have been discovered by Vala, a UK-based digital healthcare company. Hired at the brink of the COVID 19 Pandemic, I was emersed in the world of Telemedicine and online health consultation. The relationships formed online were different from the in-clinic relationships I formed early on in my career, but I quickly appreciated the ease as to which patients confided in me.

What amazes me is how perfectly Functional Medicine ties in all my medical experiences. Functional Medicine addresses many health problems upstream, just as Public Health does; sometimes preventing diseases from taking place in the first place. There’s a holistic component to Functional Medicine in how it heals using a whole-body-mind approach. Another concept I value in Functional Medicine is its encouragement of mindful eating, mindful movement, mindful relationships, and adequate sleep. These are the very pillars of good health. I miss working in a clinic every day, but I am honoured to heal virtually anywhere in the world.