My FMCA Journey & What You Need to Know

Soul Searching…

5 years ago (2017), I graduated as a Doctor of Pharmacy. It may seem that I would know what next steps to do after that but truth be told, I did not. Every pharmacist would usually go for 4 options: community, hospital, manufacturing or regulatory. As a Doctor of Pharmacy graduate, I’m expected to continue my service and practice in a hospital but this was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life for several reasons. Primarily, I wanted to contribute on preventive health and healing through natural ways instead of dispensing a medication for temporary relief and with a cost of a myriad of side effects after.

For the next two years, I worked under my father in learning more about alternative medicine, specifically Orthomolecular Medicine and healing from within. I went around to different seminars and spoke to different healthcare practitioners hoping to find my way through the field. Until one day, someone shared to me about Functional Medicine, and realized that what we have been doing follow the same principles. This friend told me to check out Dr. Mark Hyman. I did not know that this man is so famous in the field of Functional Medicine. I consumed much of his content from his podcasts and blogs until I bumped into Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM).

When the pandemic hit early 2019, there were so much unsettling transition that happened but I found an opportunity to take a certification called Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice (AFMCP) virtually. The certification course lasted for 3 months. I spent much of my time learning more while working together with my father. However, after this, I still was not sure what I want to be doing.

During the length of reflection and prayer, I remembered “health coaching” from a past conversation with a doctor who I look up to. I heard and knew about life coaching, but health coaching? What does that do? How is this different from a “coach”? How can that help other people? How will my degree fit into that? Will I be happy doing it? I had so many questions and I did not know where to look. I searched through Dr. Mark Hyman’s website and podcasts again and other doctors in the field. It is then and there that I read more about “health coaching” until I landed into Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA). You can find Dr. Mark Hyman’s article on FMCA and health coaching here. And of course I search around FMCA’s website and booked a discovery call with them to learn more.

I also looked around other health coaching schools which I’m surprised to see that there are so many! This is indeed a movement that looks promising and transformational when incorporated in the healthcare system can help many people reach their sustainable health goals. After much prayer and research, I took the courage and decided to dive into the 12-month training program.

What is a Functional Medicine Health Coach?

Before I go to the why, let me share what Functional Medicine Health Coach (FMHC) is. FM Health Coaches are trained experts in helping you make healthy lifestyle behaviors happen. They help bridge the gap between the doctor and the patient by creating a plan of care and a plan of action. They use several communication techniques, behavior change theory and motivational interview strategies to bring about sustainable change. They are there as your guide, cheerleader and accountability partner so that you can work on your roadblocks that hinder you from reaching the change you want to make.

Why Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA)?

Here are my 4 reasons why I chose FMCA:

1.       FMCHC is the only coach training program founded in collaboration with The Institute for Functional medicine (IFM) which is the global leader in Functional Medicine.

2.       FMCHC is approved by the International Consortium of Health & Wellness Coaching (ICHWC) and National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).

3.       The length of the program is 12-months but this is also because the curriculum is very comprehensive! It covers the principles of Functional medicine, nutrition and mind-body medicine. It also teaches coaching techniques like positive psychology, motivational interview and cognitive behavioral therapy. They also have lectures for business relating to FM health coaching.

4.       There are Live Training Sessions approximately 3 times per month with a cohort group from all over the world! I found this very helpful because it allowed us to have a safe space to practice, ask questions and learn from our mistakes.

5.       When certified, the FMHC can educate on health topics & doctor’s plan of care, guide through food plans and movement protocols, lead group coaching programs, partner directly with practitioners and many others. I felt strongly that I can put together my biochemistry and pharmacy background with functional medicine health coaching.

More about the FMCA Program

What to expect in the 12-month program in a nutshell:

1.       Webinars and interviews to watch weekly

2.       Books and handouts to read

3.       Assignments and quizzes to fulfill

4.       Required attendance in the Live Training Sessions (LTS) with the cohort group

5.       Required Practical Skills Development (PSD) checkpoints where you will be evaluated

6.       Required Practical Skills Assessment (PSA) to pass at the end of the program to graduate

What I found to be very helpful:

1.       Coaching In Action videos

2.       Community with the cohort group

3.       Business lectures

4.       Weekly practice, PSD and PSA

If you want to look into the program, click here to check it out or send me a message through here, I’ll be happy to connect you with them.