Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Murauski.
Daniel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in bioengineering I took time off to decide on my next educational move. During that time I found myself drawn to learning all I could about human consciousness and other existential philosophies. It was through these studies that I found yoga and meditation.
My bioengineering degree taught me to think broadly when learning to understand and model complex systems, while my exploration into existentialism allowed me to understand the importance of considering human thought, beliefs and perceptions. As I debated between continuing my education through either graduate or medical school I was put in contact with a relative who is a doctor of osteopathic medicine.
After learning more about the DO philosophy of treating mind, body and soul I felt this practice best met my ideas and my decision was made to go to medical school. Another thing that pushed me towards medicine was the idea that the practice of medicine is a foundational trade in an organized community, kind of like the farmer, carpenter, blacksmith, etc. So, I rationalized that even if things went south and we were left in some kind of post-apocalyptic world my skills would still be of use.
It is running joke amongst my friends that I could trade my skills for food if things really went the belly up. As I finished medical schools and started to apply to residencies, instead of specializing I decided primary care was a great way to focus on the whole person. However, as I progressed through my training I began to realize that western medicine has a tendency to narrow the view of how to treat patients. Conventional medical training is focused on labeling a disease so treatment X can be initiated.
This shifts the focus away from strengthening/optimizing a person for wellness. So, after finishing residency, I felt the desire to expand on this idea. I sought additional training that would help me practice in the more holistic manner that I had intended when I entered medical school. Thus, I trained with the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine and am currently perusing my Functional Medicine certification.
In today’s high volume, reimbursement-driven climate, many new physicians gravitate toward employment with large medical groups and the idea of the small independent physician seems unattainable. I did not have the desire to join one of these groups, instead, I wanted to create a clinic where I could grow and cultivate my ideal medical practice. I was fortunate enough to connect with the husband of a fellow resident and we decided we could make it happen. With the added support of my wife, we began the process of opening Integrative Wellness Group.
Starting out we discovered the many different aspects of putting together and running a medical clinic, often learning as we went. We started in a single room, renting from a couple of naprapathy practitioners and over time built a clientele and even designed and built our own medical office.
Although we, the core founders, put in many long hours to make this dream a reality, it wouldn’t have come to fruition without the relationships that we built along the way and utilizing our network of friends and family that have helped to support us. I have immense gratitude for all of the people that have helped us along the way.
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?
The biggest obstacle in running a medical office is time. It seems that there is never enough of it. Between patient care, business tasks, continuing education, and family, finding balance has been very hard. As we grow, we are continually looking for ways to set up efficient processes in order to maximize time. Personally, the thing that brings me the most stress is trying to find quality time with my wife and young son.
They are the two most important people in my life however many days I give all of my energy to so many other people that I have little left at the end of the day. Unfortunately, I know I am not alone in this struggle as it is a very common complaint in the medical community. This obstacle, although it is the hardest to overcome, is the most important for me to strive to manage.
Integrative Wellness Group S.C. – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Mission: Our mission is to treat each individual as a unique collaboration of mind, body and soul. By integrating traditional thought with evidence-based healing modalities, we strive to empower our patients to find their true happiness and wellness.
Vision: To create a community brought together by the quest for wellness.
We are a group of healthcare providers who were brought together by our belief that health and wellness are best achieved through a multifaceted, integrative approach. Our services include traditional and holistic primary care, functional medicine, women’s health, osteopathic manipulation, occupational therapy, and yoga.
We are also affiliated with a number of other healthcare professionals including naprapathic practitioners and mental health workers in order to provide our clients with a well-rounded, holistic approach to their care. My philosophy of medicine starts with understanding who my clients are and what wellness means to them. I use a goal-orientated approach to wellness and never define a person by a disease.
Together we identify what can be changed, adapted and nourished within their system in order to create wellness. We tailor a plan using a diverse array of evidence-based therapies that focused on foundational health principles. Essentially I strive to get to the root cause of disease and explore ways to enhance and support my client’s overall wellness and wellbeing.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
This journey has brought many moments of happiness. The day we opened the doors of our own office comes to mind as well as when we were given the designation of a patient center medical home.
My proudest clinical moments though are when I see my patients take accountability for their health and find the motivation to make a change. A lot of what I do is educational and I come to realize that change takes times.
When, after many visits and often over the course of a year or more, I see something click for a client and they are able to engage in change is when I feel the most proud of what I’m doing.
Contact Info:
- Address: 7000 W North Ave, Suite 2D
Chicago, IL 60707 - Website: www.iwgchicago.com
- Phone: 773-303-7505
- Email: info@iwgchicago.com
Image Credit:
Michael Matrejek
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