Brittany Papanikolaou, APRN, FNP-C

I attribute my success to my personal journey of struggling with chronic illness and being dismissed by the conventional medical system. I was so sick I was almost bedridden and nearly went septic, but I made a full recovery. That experience of suffering to that degree and being dismissed is what pushes me to help others and help them understand they are not alone, that there are others going through or have been through what they are going through and it's okay to ask for help. I wanted to ensure that no patient ever had to feel that way again, to have to feel dismissed, just like a number in the system. My passion comes from wanting to be someone to help change the future of medicine, to really take into consideration what is going on, to deep dive, to look into the systems and root cause of the disease process for patients, and provide them with that reassurance and that trust and that bond, and to help heal them. For me to make that full recovery to where I am now, to be able to give back to others, is what I want. I want people to know what is possible, that suffering to that degree and being dismissed in the conventional system is not okay, that there are options out there for women and for men and children alike.

The best career advice I've ever received is to go into it full of passion, full of heart, for the right reasons. It's not about money, or about fame, or title. It's about your character, your work ethic, and what you can give back to others. Don't follow the money, do what you love.

I would tell young women to stick with it. Don't let the conventional system break you or mold you to think that functional medicine or pursuing your passions and dreams is not worth it. Go forward full throttle, and don't be distracted by the things around you, or people who try to discourage you. Follow your heart and search for that root cause. I think the future is functional medicine, preventive medicine, not just reactive medicine. So stick with your passion and don't let anyone discourage you from pursuing what you believe in.

Some of the biggest opportunities I see in the functional medicine space are identifying and addressing autoimmune disease in women and the prevalence of that disease, as women are unfortunately affected more. More emphasis needs to be placed in research and literature and studies on what we can do to deep dive into hormones, testing, the thyroid, and that mind-body connection for women, given the stress and the load that we're placed under. We're being pushed more than ever to be providers, working outside of the home in full-time jobs, while taking care of families and taking care of parents. All this responsibility falls on our shoulders, so working more with women and providing the support that they need, mentally and physically, is one of the biggest opportunities I see in my functional medicine space right now. Helping to regulate and reset the nervous system and that spiritual mental mind and body connection is crucial.

The most important values to me are providing a trusting relationship and building that rapport with the patient. I believe in being there, being present, and truly listening to make someone feel seen and heard for what's going on in their life. I want to allow them to be open and to be able to connect, because I feel like that's 50% of the relationship. Half the battle is over once you meet that threshold and have that connection with the patient. It's about being present and making people feel valued, not like just a number in the system.