Yet there is a desperate shortage of physicians competent in the field of functional medicine, and those that do enter this field are often looked down upon by their colleagues. It should not be difficult for physicians to make a specialty shift by creating their own program via individual tutelage, tapes, seminars, and the internet. Given the hard science core of functional medicine today, it should not be difficult for this specialty to gain recognition. Physicians undertaking this should be affiliated with large teaching hospitals and talk at medical education seminars. Patients can play a role in this also.
Most doctors feel trapped by managed care and are looking for solutions.
The answer is to find a need and fill it. Convince your doctor he would be better off diverting much of his energy from marketing into need-filling. A good deal of energy is being spent by CFS organizations toward changing the name of the illness. I understand the issue. But I propose that it be approached differently.