Why is certification crucial for FM Doctors?

   No Physician is automatically trained in Functional Medicine as a part of their initial doctorate. Functional Medicine is such a specialized field that only by choosing to return for this additional training can a physician become skilled in this unique approach to healthcare. Each system in the body does  not run  independently of the others, they are all interconnected, and it is imperative, especially in Functional Medicine, that practitioners understand the priority in which each system should be addressed, building the patient’s health. Certification is how a patient knows that their Functional Medicine Practitioner has received all of this extensive training and passed numerous examinations proving their proficiency. Simply “studying” Functional Medicine or taking a few classes here or there does not mean proficiency, and patients should always confirm that their Functional Medicine Practitioner is indeed certified before making an appointment with him/her.