She has recently returned to private practice back home in Oklahoma. She became the center’s second full-time physician in 2015 before becoming its operations director for a year. Herbst helped the Cleveland Clinic develop and expand the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine (CCCFM). She became so well-regarded in the field that when the Cleveland Clinic decided to delve into the world of functional medicine, they invited Dr. Herbst set up practice in Grove, Oklahoma, and “natural medicine seekers began coming out of the closet” as her practice grew exponentially. “It’s a truly holistic approach.”Īfter training at IFM, Dr. Still must have envisioned osteopathic medicine to be,” she says. It’s a truly holistic approach.įunctional medicine practitioners incorporate modalities such as nutrigenomics, which looks at an individual’s interaction between nutrients and their genes, pathophysiology and biochemistry to optimize function, says Dr.

Still must have envisioned osteopathic medicine to be. If you’ve wondered about the specifics of functional medicine, you’re not alone.Īccording to the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), which is considered the gold standard of training in the field, “the functional medicine model is 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.”įunctional medicine is what A.T. Many of the holistic qualities of functional medicine align with those of osteopathic medicine, she notes. Herbst’s functional medicine pursuit was very successful and led to a gig helping the Cleveland Clinic get their fledgling Center for Functional Medicine started. “I pursued functional medicine as a means to bridge them.”ĭr. “During residency training, I wondered how I was going to incorporate the two worlds of osteopathic medicine and nutrition,” says Dr. Her love of biochemistry coupled with her natural affinity for healing led her to Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OSU-COM). But when her business became so successful that it grew too big, she decided to sell it. The former lifestyle and health coach had gotten into nutrition for personal reasons.

Aunna Herbst, DO, was in her early 30s when she decided to go to medical school.

Functional doctor