Meet Xan Simonson: Naturopathic Medical Doctor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Xan Simonson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xan, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
My favorite and personal quote is “A Vision Shared Is A Vision Achieved” To me it means that when I help other colleagues and share the knowledge I have learned with them that I am helping that many more patients achieve their optimal health. It reminds me that it isn’t about the monetary gains but about sharing from the heart and doing “Gods Will”. He has always provided for me and my family and I believe that my purpose on Earth here is to help doctors expand their knowledge and skills to help their patients achieve optimal health. I have been blessed to have wonderful mentors during my training and post graduation and continue to communicate with them in my own practice and life. I want to be the example that if you practice from the heart and share your knowledge and skills that it means that many more patients will benefit. When new doctors I mentor take the knowledge and skills I teach them and they in turn take this information and excel beyond me….this is when my own heart soars. They then become a teacher and mentor to me and others paying it forward. Being able to witness and experience this makes my professional life complete. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I came to practicing medicine as a second career. My first career was with Mesa Public Schools where I taught Biology, AP Biology and developed the Biotechnology Program for high school. I also wrote the textbooks that are currently used in many biotechnology programs: Introduction to Biotechnology I& II Lab Manual, Kendall Hunt, Dubuque, IA. I developed some health concerns and my Primary Care Physician sent me to a naturopathic physician, Dr. Melissa Coats who approached healing by looking at “whole” instead of “symptoms” and discovered the “root cause” of my health concerns. This spoke to my left sided science brain. I had always aspired to be a physician and found myself entering the second decade of my life wanting to fulfill that dream. Turning 50 years old I made the decision to retire from teaching and pursue my doctorate in medicine. I started at SCNM in 2011 and graduated in 2015. Upon graduation I was honored with the SCNM Leadership Award for my contributions to the students and student government council. After graduation I pursued a residency with a allopathic physician, Dr. Mark Starr in Paradise Valley, AZ and with a naturopathic physician, Dr. Vance Inouye. After one year, I decided to start my own business, Xanivis Optimal Health, with guidance at Ohana Natural Medicine under Dr. Kirstin Correia. I also continued to work with Dr. Sandra Levitt, MD at Innovative Primary Care learning how to integrate allopathic medicine with naturopathic medicine. In 2017 I opened up Xan Medical Clinic and have since devoted my time here. The practice is integrative in that it offers patients primary care, Peptide Therapy, Regenerative Rrepair and Rehabilitation, counseling, homeopathic, pediatrics, chelation, aesthetics, and massage therapy. My vision is to bring in practitioners with a variety of specialties and create a space that my patients can get all their health concerns addressed at one clinic. We all work together for the best possible treatment plan for the patients. I am honored that the two mentors I worked with out of school the first couple of years, Dr. Kirstin Correia and Dr. Vance Inouye, are now practitioners at Xan Medical Clinic. In my practice I am the Primary Care Physician for about 50% of my patients and the other 50% is spent in Peptide Therapy and Regenerative Medicine. I offer injection and IV therapies to my patients as well. I have re-entered the education world and now through Biojourney Solutions educate practitioners on how to do injection therapy as well as choose the correct biologic allograft treatments for their patients. My current career has come full circle where I am a business owner of a thriving medical clinic, a physician and educator. I want to leave this life knowing I did my best to help as many students, patients and doctors find their passion in life and to have the courage to follow their dreams. I am happy and honored to those that gave me the courage to follow my dream of becoming a doctor even though I was near retirement in education and turning 50 yrs old. The journey while fulfilling has not been easy. There has been the financial loss of a secure paycheck to one of creating that financial success, there was the struggle to balance school, career and family. I promised my husband, children and grandchildren that I would create more time to spend with them in this career. Everyday I work on this. I consciously have chosen to only see patients 3 days a week to make good on this promise to my family. And lastly there was my own health issues which I have been able to overcome through naturopathic medicine. Today I am grateful that my business is thriving even though we are in a pandemic.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Favorite hang outs are: Day 1: Flagstaff- Downtown area and visiting stores such as Winter Sun Trading Company and horseback riding with Dr. Correia who lives there with her horse. Day 2-4: Sedona, AZ- • Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park • Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village- where I would eat at El Rincon for some wonderful Mexican food, then shop at my favorite gallery: Andrea Smiths then purchase some goodies at Spirit & Spices • Next would be heading to the Trading post there- I love all of the crystals and Native American things they have. • Spend the nights at Orchard Canyon on Oak Creek that has wonderful cabins next to the creek. The food here is 5+++ star and is home grown. I get my soul recharge here. • Lastly leaving Sedona I would head to Cornville Road and visit all of the little wineries there and eating lunch before heading back to Mesa. Day 5- Jerome, AZ- walk this little town tasting all the different wines offered and eat at the Haunted Hamburger Day 6- Hike at Lost Dutchman Park near Apache Junction, AZ

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that have been part of my journey to success but here are a few: 1. Roger Spratt- who recognized I was a leader when I didn’t know it and helped me to develop my leadership skills and confidence as a young science teacher 2. Debra Duvall- Prior Superintendent of Mesa Public Schools and Suzie Deprez-Prior Asst. Superintendent of Mesa Public Schools – both from my prior career as an instructor and Biotechnology Director who helped me to develop a wonderful research based program for high school students 3. Dr. Melissa Coats (NMD) who encouraged me to pursue my degree in Naturopathic Medicine and become a doctor. 4. Dr. Vance Inouye (NMD) who was introduced to me early in my ND training and took me under his wing and taught me how to approach and treat patients from a Comprehensive Pain & Rehabilitation Approach. He has taught me it is all about the “sum of all parts” and to get to the root of my patients health concerns and when you address this then your patients can truly start to heal. 5. Jane Stevenson, PA who is a wonderful friend and colleague and has helped me bridge the world of allopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine.

Website: xanmedclinic.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xanmedclinic/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xan-simonson-nmd-9646679/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XanMedClinic

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