FNP transition to health/fitness

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jul 17

This is a very interesting question and one that I'm sure many of us providers contemplate. Day in and day out we see patients with medical diagnoses that could have been prevented early on with a healthier lifestyle and a focus on prevention. However, I find that some patients just don't have access to these resources because of factors outside of their control.

I had to find out about "functional medicine" after reading your post. I've never heard of the term. It seems like there is a camp in Medicine that thinks this is all "hogwash" and unproven yet there is a Center for Funtional Medicine at Cleveland Clinic (with an NP/CNM on the provider panel to boot). I don't know if it is the same thing but where I work, we have a center for Integrative Medicine...it is basically a service provided to patients who are receiving treatments that are based on evidence in the medical literature and then combining alternative therapies that don't have as strong of an evidence yet have worked for some people. There is a strong emphasis on fitness and nutrition.

I think you won't really need formal training for this apart from CME's and a lot of self-directed learning. I think a lot of breaking into this field will rely on networking and knowing people in the field. Maybe, joining organizations such as the Institute for Functional Medicine can be a start? There is also an Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine that you can join. Both organization, I noticed, post job openings for providers.

CuriousConundrum · Aug 20

I'm in psych with similar thoughts. I'm not "stuck" to psych at all. I've spent the last year and a half learning about lifestyle medicine, nutrition, fitness training, and functional medicine (all with several certifications), and I'm really over the chronic disease model and prescriptions. I'd love to never talk about prescriptions again.

priorityhealthFNP · Aug 20

@CuriousConundrum I agree! It's an assembly line that I don't care to be a part of. Have you began to research jobs outside of Psych?

CuriousConundrum · Aug 20

priorityhealthFNP said:

@CuriousConundrum I agree! It's an assembly line that I don't care to be a part of. Have you began to research jobs outside of Psych?

Yes! I've been doing that for a few years, but since I began working from home before anyone ever heard of COVID, my motivation to do any other work has lapsed. I love being here, alone, as I write this message waiting for my next Zoom person.

I'm looking at a program called Functional Medicine Fast Track to develop a sort of turn key virtual health program.

I'd gotten really interested in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) and was going to board certify with them. Then one day I decided their exam cost was too expensive, and they don't support the consumption of meat. Believe me, I know we can exist without it, but we have the teeth and digestion to support it, and the group encouraging people to live healthier lifestyles completely overlooks what most societies consider a staple part of every meal. (And as a lifter, I eat a lot of meat haha...and 4-5 servings of veges).

The ACLM membership isn't very expensive and was cheaper around Black Friday. They have a new member series of monthly videos and a 5 hour nutrition CME that's enlightening if you haven't done much other nutrition stuff that are probably worth the $170 or so. They also have member interest groups, such as fitness, but I admittedly never sacrifice my free time to attend them. We should talk.

priorityhealthFNP · Aug 20

CuriousConundrum said:

Yes! I've been doing that for a few years, but since I began working from home before anyone ever heard of COVID, my motivation to do any other work has lapsed. I love being here, alone, as I write this message waiting for my next Zoom person.

I'm looking at a program called Functional Medicine Fast Track to develop a sort of turn key virtual health program.

I'd gotten really interested in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) and was going to board certify with them. Then one day I decided their exam cost was too expensive, and they don't support the consumption of meat. Believe me, I know we can exist without it, but we have the teeth and digestion to support it, and the group encouraging people to live healthier lifestyles completely overlooks what most societies consider a staple part of every meal. (And as a lifter, I eat a lot of meat haha...and 4-5 servings of veges).

The ACLM membership isn't very expensive and was cheaper around Black Friday. They have a new member series of monthly videos and a 5 hour nutrition CME that's enlightening if you haven't done much other nutrition stuff that are probably worth the $170 or so. They also have member interest groups, such as fitness, but I admittedly never sacrifice my free time to attend them. We should talk.

Interesting, I have never heard of the Fast Track program. I am assuming it also teaches you Functional Medicine practice as well?

I am currently taking a FM certification through FMU. It was the cheaper option compared to IFM and other certification bodies. Although I feel they glance over topics rather quickly.

I agree, we should discuss this further!