Naturopathic Physicians Convention Nets Educational Awards
CONTACT:
Marilynn Considine
503.552.1504
mconsidine@ncnm.edu
PORTLAND, Ore. (May 14, 2010)—Derek J. Andre, a National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) student in his second year of a naturopathic degree program, won the first-place trophy and a $5,000 scholarship in an intercollegiate speech contest, the Bob’s Red Mill Scholarship Cup Competition. The finalists were announced at the 54th Annual Northwest Naturopathic Physicians Convention held last week in Portland.
Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, a pioneer in the natural foods industry and a longtime Portland institution, sponsored the first annual speech competition, “Food as Medicine.” The competition was created by NCNM and promoted and organized by the Naturopathic Medical Students Association.
Second- and third-place finalists were, respectively, Erica Kubanek from Boucher Institute in British Columbia, and Nicole Papineau from Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto.
Students from all seven accredited naturopathic programs in the U.S. and Canada were invited to participate in the contest, comprised of two rounds of speaking, a three-minute video contest and a live speech. Students created approximately 25 videos that promoted the health benefits of a grain of their choice, which were posted to YouTube. Judges selected three finalists from the top-rated videos from each of the participating colleges.
NCNM President, David J. Schleich, expressed gratitude to Bob and Charlie Moore, the owners of Bob’s Red Mill, for sponsoring the competition. “Bob’s Red Mill has a well-deserved reputation for setting high nutritional standards for their products. NCNM is delighted to partner with Bob’s Red Mill by challenging our students to apply their knowledge about the nutritional value of grain in ways that can ultimately assist them in paying for their education.”
Schleich added that the competition was beneficial in other ways, as well. He noted that, “The level of scholarship and training expected of students who attend NCNM is extremely challenging by any higher educational standard. This competition gives our students and those of our seven accredited sister medical schools the opportunity to showcase their scientific and nutritional research, while preparing them to teach others about what they learn and know. We’re particularly proud of Derek, and his fellow finalists in their achievements.”
ABOUT NCNM: Founded in 1956, NCNM is the oldest accredited naturopathic medical school in North America. A nonprofit college of natural medicine, NCNM offers four-year graduate medical degree programs in Naturopathic Medicine and Classical Chinese Medicine. Its community clinics offer free and low-cost medical care throughout the Portland metropolitan area, and along with the campus-based NCNM Clinic, manage approximately 40,000 patient visits per year. NCNM’s Helfgott Research Institute is a nonprofit research institute that conducts rigorous independent research to advance the science of natural medicine in order to improve clinical practice. Until July 2006, NCNM was known as the National College of Naturopathic Medicine.
-XXX-