Are you wondering how to become a functional medicine doctor so you can practice in Orange County or any county in California? With only a few people in the medical industry and seemingly a growing number of individuals being aware of this profession, it’s the best time to start.
And when it comes to this subject, Dr. Valencia Ray, MD, has quite a bit to say. A former ophthalmologist, Dr. Ray decided to take this route so she can offer holistic treatments to her patients. Although challenging, her journey has been rewarding.
With her excellent professional record and five-star legal team to back her up, setting up a functional medicine practice in California did not give her a tough time either.
What is Functional Medicine and How It Benefits You
Functional Medicine is defined by the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) as an “individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness.”
In a nutshell, functional medicine is a systems biology-based approach to treating the root cause of a certain condition rather than the condition itself. If a patient is diagnosed with depression, a functional medicine doctor will identify where this condition is coming from. It can be due to hormonal changes or vitamin deficiency. As hormonal changes can cause several illnesses, various illnesses can cause hormonal changes.
The Benefits of Functional Medicine
Functional medicine, which is a relatively new method of treating various diseases offers several benefits:
#1 It’s Detail Focused
Each individual has a unique genetic and biochemical composition. Using this unique information, a functional medicine doctor aims to restore the body’s normal healing function. Such an approach not only alleviates the symptoms of a particular disease but also helps address or prevent other related conditions.
#2 It’s A Holistic Approach
Physicians that employ traditional medicine practices offer a limited interpretation of lab test results. They only give you information that’s within their range. Otherwise, the conclusion will be normal. Functional medicine doctors, on the other hand, analyze lab results and look for any dysfunction or imbalance, which may be causing your body to function abnormally. And although functional medicine is an approach that restores your well-being – mind, body, and spirit – it’s 100% science-based.
The practice promises a type of in-depth healing that many people need nowadays. This explains Dr. Ray’s earnestness in becoming a part of this community. And her functional medicine education proves to be worth her while.
How to Become a Functional Medicine Doctor in Orange County? Dr. Valencia Ray’s Effortless Leap from Ophthalmology to Holistic Medicine
If you are considering switching practice, functional medicine is a rewarding route to take. Not many doctors today know about this medical practice, which Dr. Ray finds surprising. Fortunately, she is one of the select MDs to take an interest and work hard to achieve this. She started her practice in California six months ago, armed with experience, an excellent reputation, and a passion to help people on a deeper level.
Getting into Functional Medicine
For 30 years, she practiced ophthalmology in Chicago dealing with chronic eye diseases. The thought of functional medicine did not cross her mind for a time until she felt her desire for holistic medicine, one that offers mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
After years of looking, she eventually discovered functional medicine, something that is not being taught in medical schools or applied in medical treatments. The science-based holistic approach appealed to Dr. Ray and decided to take the necessary steps to become a functional medicine doctor.
As Dr. Ray is already a qualified medical doctor, the rest of the process, the rest of the process involved taking up a functional medicine education program offered by IFM, undergoing training of at least 17 hours, and passing the exam.
Getting Licensed
Once licensed, she decided to practice functional medicine in California. It was not hard for her to take the step as her situation at that time seemed to be agreeing with her plans: her son plays basketball and was excited to move to the city, her husband enjoyed a flexible career, her daughter just graduated from college. Also, she’s been to California many times since 2008 so she’s already familiar with the environment. Everything just fell into place.
There was no stopping Dr. Ray to become a functional medicine doctor in a state that’s close to home, so the whole family moved and she started practicing six months ago.
How to Become a Functional Medicine Doctor in Orange County?
While practicing in Chicago as an ophthalmologist, Dr. Ray already had a professional corporation, so she already understood the process. But comparatively, California’s laws are more intricate. And instead of wasting time figuring things out on her own, she reached out to Incorporation Attorney to help her with the legal aspects.
A licensed medical doctor, for example, must register as a professional medical corporation. Companies registered as an LLC are not qualified to transfer their business to California. Although Dr. Ray did not have much of a problem with setting up a practice, there are procedures that could have eaten up a great deal of time.
The laws on medical practices in California are different from other states, so she needed help from a team of business attorneys that could better understand the laws. Incorporation Attorney was very useful in fulfilling all the requirements error-free. Additionally, Dr. Ray finds working with the team a breeze as her legal aids are detailed and thorough.
The Rewards of Being a Functional Medicine Doctor in Dr. Ray’s Point of View
As a functional medicine doctor, Dr. Valencia Ray’s goal is to help people, not just with their eyes but their whole system. Particularly, she focuses on helping patients to lose weight easier and reverse chronic medico hormonal conditions using holistic science–based approaches.
With a deep concern for public health and a genuine desire to help, she hopes to delve more into nutrigenomics, a form of epigenetics that tackles gene expression leading to a positive lifestyle change. She also realized how stress and lack of quality sleep can lead to a variety of serious health problems, the reason why she considers functional medicine as an important branch of medical practice.
There are other things she deals with as a functional medicine doctor, such as hormonal imbalances and what to do to treat them. Basically, though, she consults for patients who already have doctors diagnosing their conditions. Her role is to interpret physical exam results and not perform one, reason why she sees no need for medical equipment.
If you ask Dr. Valencia Ray today, things are going great with her newfound practice. Helping people with their medical concerns and offering holistic treatment is her passion and she sees herself being a functional medical doctor for a long time. Her plans include giving more talks, producing webinars, and improving her practice.
An Expert Legal Assistance Can Help Take Your Practice to the Next Step Faster
There are many legal firms that will offer tips on how to become a functional medicine doctor in Orange County or whichever area you decide to practice. As always, the process can be painstaking but with the right people, you are off to a good start. As they say, you can sail your own ship but a seasoned captain can get you the next shore faster.
Dr. Valencia Ray made the right choice, from choosing functional medicine education to moving to California to working with Incorporation Attorney. Now, she enjoys helping people get better from the inside and out.
If you are looking to become a medical practitioner in California, getting in touch with a legal team that is an expert in California’s complex business laws is paramount. Incorporation Attorney is one of the select firms that understand the essence of professional corporation registration.
Whether you want to start a private practice, offer non-medical services, or set up a business in California, contact us today so we can discuss how we can help you!
