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Exploring Whole-Person Healing With Dr. Melinda Ring & Dr. David Rakel

Dr. Melinda RingDr. Melinda Ring is one of the most respected voices in the field of integrative medicine today. As the Executive Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University and the Tina Trott Professor of Integrative Health, Dr. Ring has spent her career advancing a more holistic, patient-centered model of care that bridges conventional and complementary medicine. Board certified in both Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS), she combines rigorous scientific inquiry with a compassionate approach to wellness that honors the mind, body, and spirit.

At Northwestern, Dr. Ring leads clinical, educational, and research initiatives that promote evidence-informed integrative practices. Her interests include women’s health, culinary medicine, and the use of lifestyle interventions to treat and prevent chronic disease. She is a national leader in the field, currently serving as vice-chair of the American Board of Integrative Medicine and a frequent speaker on the national stage.

In a recent episode of Next Level Health, Dr. Ring welcomed Dr. David Rakel, professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Wisconsin, to discuss a concept at the heart of their shared philosophy: salutogenesis, or the creation of health.

What’s Salutogenesis?

Dr. Rakel contrasted the disease-focused model—pathogenesis—with salutogenesis, which asks, “What helps a human being swim well through the turbulent stream of life?”

The current medical model rewards interventions for disease rather than efforts to preserve and build well-being, Dr. Rakel says. In contrast, he advocates for shifting the intent of medicine toward health.

“How do we create this state of coherence where every human being has the best potential to heal?” he asks.

The discussion underscored that real healing stemmed not from fixing symptoms but from understanding the context of each person’s life—emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

A Call for Change to Our Patient Care Model

A major thread in the discussion was the need for systemic change. Dr. Rakel criticized the dominant fee-for-service model that incentivized more treatment over better outcomes.

“We spend $4.9 trillion a year and have some of the worst health outcomes in the industrialized world,” he said.

He points out that, by comparison, value-based care explores how to improve patient outcomes at a lower cost and with a better patient experience.

Dr. Rakel highlighted the effectiveness of primary care and interprofessional teams, calling it the most important investment we could make in healthcare. He noted, however, that only 5 cents of every healthcare dollar in the U.S. is spent on primary care.

“If we went from a nickel to a dime,” he argues, “we could see a five-fold return on investment.”

Dr. Rakel also critiqued the overuse of supplements and functional medicine tests, noting that while these tools can have value, they often mirror the same “match a pill to a problem” mindset of conventional medicine. Instead, he promotes a model that honors therapeutic relationships and the innate healing capacity of the human body. He views practices like mindful listening and shared meaning-making in patient interactions as sacred rituals that can catalyze healing.

The conversation concluded with a personal insight from Dr. Rakel on how perception shapes biology. He explained that our mindset can influence the body’s physiology, even down to the molecular level, and encouraged listeners to approach life with compassion, presence, and optimism.

By seeing people for their strengths and potential rather than their ailments, he says, we foster environments that support healing not just for individuals but for entire communities.

Learn More

To learn more about integrative medicine or physician board certification in integrative medicine through the ABPS, contact us today. As the only multi-specialty certifying board in the U.S. offering this credential, the ABPS helps physicians like Dr. Melinda Ring lead the way in advancing whole-person healthcare. Board certification through the ABPS affirms a physician’s expertise, commitment to continuous learning, and dedication to patient well-being.

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Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
When I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine
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