Is Dr. Joseph Mercola a Licensed Physician?
Dr. Joseph Mercola is a famous figure in the field of alternative medicine, and he often gives tips on nutrition, wellness, and natural health practices. Many people question whether Dr. Mercola is a licensed physician given his great media exposure and major impact among the health community. Indeed, Dr. Mercola has a medical degree, but his attitude to health is very different from that of many other doctors. His experience and training beg serious issues concerning the junction of conventional and alternative medicine.
Medical Credentials courtesy of Dr. Mercola
A licensed osteopathic physician (DO), Dr. Joseph Mercola’s title accurately reflects a certain kind of medical training different from that of allopathic doctors (MDs). In 1982 he graduated from the College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Chicago. Emphasizing the body’s capacity for self-healing and the need of preventive care, osteopathic medicine stresses a comprehensive approach to treatment. Though they also undergo additional training in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a hands-on approach used to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease or injury, DOs finish similar training in anatomy, pharmacology, and clinical medicine, much as MDs. For many years, Dr. Mercola worked as an osteopathic physician before turning his attention to alternative health and wellness advocacy.
Change from Traditional Medicine
Though Dr. Mercola has a current medical license, his divergence from conventional medicine is well-known. His change started as he grew more and more disappointed with the traditional healthcare system, especially with regard to the over-reliance on drugs and intrusive operations. When Dr. Mercola started advocating natural, holistic health techniques instead of drugs, his medical career veered dramatically. Unlike many of the techniques usually taught in medical schools, his emphasis on nutrition, exercise, cleansing, and supplements to preserve health contrasts.
Dr. Mercola’s Influence and Controversy
With his website, mercola.com, drawing millions of visitors, Dr. Mercola’s internet presence has made him a well-known player in alternative medicine circles. He supports certain nutritional supplements, questions vaccine safety, and criticizes the pharmaceutical business among other ideas that defy accepted medical understanding. Medical experts have hotly contested his opinions in certain circumstances as well as discussed them generally. Dr. Mercola has been a divisive person; some applaud his initiatives toward natural wellness while others charge him with disseminating false information. Though the medical world generally sees his advice through a critical lens, Dr. Mercola’s credentials as a certified osteopathic physician give his platform some authority despite the debate around some of his assertions.
