Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Darla Logan.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dr. Logan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Medicine is a second career for me. I was 35 years old when I decided to go to medical school. I had a successful career in IT (Information Technology), yet I felt that I wasn’t impacting the world in a way that I wanted to. When I decided to change careers, I took some time to really determine who I wanted to be in the world, as opposed to what I wanted to do. The overwhelming result of that process was that I wanted to provide people options to live a quality life. I wasn’t sure how to go about accomplishing this, but Naturopathic Medicine kept coming up. At first, I wasn’t so sure, it seems like a huge leap to go from corporate America, especially the IT industry into Naturopathic Medicine. I wasn’t sure I would “fit in” well. But as I did research on what Naturopathic Medicine is, the philosophy and training, I realized that this field would provide me the platform and opportunity to be exactly who I wanted to be – someone providing options to live a quality life. This theme has carried me through not only medical school, but into owning my own practice, treating patients, and publishing my book on Regenerative Medicine.
During medical school, I fell in love with Physical Medicine and all that encompasses. The fact that I could use adjustments and treatments to address pain was right up my alley. I have been an athlete all my life and was well aware of how debilitating chronic pain can be. Being able to resolve physical pain for my patients, thus allowing them to do the things they enjoy doing – well, it just was never a question in my mind that this was where I was meant to be. I was introduced to an amazing mentor that took me into his practice as a student and allowed me to benefit from his 20+ years as a doctor treating a variety of conditions, including chronic pain. I was stuck to him like glue. If he was in the office, I was in the office. If he had a patient in the room, I was in the room right beside him. If he mentioned an article, book, or study, I found it and consumed it immediately. I wanted to know everything he knew. He took the time to train me on the injection techniques that he had honed throughout his years of practice and training. He answered questions and allowed me to learn and grow. I started my practice with a $2500 loan from my uncle and a big dream. I worked tirelessly to perfect my injection technique and continued to train with my mentor. A couple of years later, he decided to retire which gave me the opportunity to purchase his practice and join his patients with mine. I have continued to grow the practice and reach more patients, many who have had life changing results. During this time, I also authored an International Best-Selling book on Regenerative Medicine.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It seems as though I had just barely decided on medical school when my life seemed to implode. During my pre-med education, I ended an abusive marriage and my husband took all the money in the savings account that I had acquired prior to our marriage. I was left financially with nothing to see me through med school, but I did still have an employment, was earning 6 figures for the time being and had lined up student loans to see me through. I moved to AZ and started a new life.
I had silently struggled with chronic pain and depression for years. Three quarters into med school, I became too ill to continue and had to withdraw for a quarter. I spent the remaining time in school trying to catch up to graduate on time. I was taking upwards of 30 credit hours most quarters and working 1-3 part time jobs to help make ends meet. After graduation, I started my practice, with zero patients and a $2500 loan.
Thirty days before I was to close on the loan to buy my mentor’s practice, I helped out a friend who had been recently let go from his job. What was supposed to be a short-term loan turned into a quickly vanishing friend, along with my down payment for my practice. I had 30 days to recoup the money or my loan would not close and I would lose the opportunity to purchase the practice.
So yes, there have been obstacles, challenges, and learning opportunities along the way. But even if I could go back and change it, I wouldn’t. I was strong before. I am stronger now.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about CellMed Clinics – what should we know?
My clinic is CellMed Clinics. There are two doctors currently in the practice, one massage therapist, one medical assistant, and two part-time contract employees to help with projects as needed. We have been in our current location for 2 years.
I am a Naturopathic Medical Doctor. I am licensed in AZ as a General Practitioner. I specialize in Regenerative Medicine, treatments which are treatments that utilize the body’s natural ability to heal injuries. Regenerative Medicine or Regenerative Injection Techniques that I use in my practice include prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Stem Cell Therapy. I work with injuries of all types with a variety of patients’ populations and age groups. I see professional athletes that are looking to repair injuries so they can continue with their career and I see patients with pain that happened when they got out of bed. Some of my patients affectionately call me “The Pain Doc”.
I would like to think I am best known for getting great results and giving people options for treatment so they can live a quality life.
The thing I think I am most proud of as a company is that my patients trust me enough that they refer their friends and family on a regular basis. I have compiled an amazing team in the office whom I very much enjoy working with and together we work to create an environment that is personal, comfortable, and place where people come to get results. We work very hard to get people in for appointments quickly, because I think it’s annoying to have to wait 4 weeks for an appointment.
One thing that I think sets us apart is that we know our patients, we know their families, some of their friends, their struggles, their triumphs and we treat them as a whole person, not a number. We have worked to create a community here where our patients are listened to, respected, and get quality care.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I would say tenacity. Through the challenges of the past to the challenging patient cases, I just don’t give up. Even if I don’t have the answer right away, I search and study and learn to come up with a solution.
Contact Info:
- Address: 7950 East Acoma Drive
Ste 207 - Website: www.cellmedclinics.com
- Phone: 623-396-6107
- Email: askthedoc@cellmedclinics.com
- Instagram: drdarlalogan
- Facebook: @drdarlalogan
- Twitter: @pwrofthevis
Image Credits:
Photography By Duffy
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