Meet Elaine Marquez McHugh | Naturopathic Medical Doctor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elaine Marquez McHugh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elaine, how do you think about risk?
I usually don’t take risks. I’m a pretty safe person, and I like my security. However, when I thought my career was going one way and it didn’t end up happening to go that route, I had to take risks. It was necessary. Very much like the risk I took to turn away from conventional, Western medicine and towards naturopathic medicine. It was necessary to stick to my values and practice medicine I identified with, and it was necessary to be vulnerable and put myself out there for my career and for my family’s livelihood. My decision to take a risk and email Annemarie Alf of Olympus Movement Performance played a defining moment in my career. OMP wasn’t exactly hiring for a Naturopathic Doctor. I just took a leap and presented myself in a way that showed my value in the medical world and to their integrative wellness team. It paid off taking these risks. Without which, my business, Rise Medicine – which was just a thought – would not have come to fruition.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am very excited to be starting out on my journey as a Naturopathic Medical Doctor. It wasn’t easy getting here by any means. Taking care of children while your husband is deployed, let alone attending medical school and succeeding as one of the top graduating students in your class presented many challenges as one can imagine. However, I am someone who flourishes with a busy schedule. Knowing that about myself but also knowing my limits is how I faced those challenges. While I am a very independent person, I have also learned to ask for help. It’s humbling but necessary if you want to succeed in life. When you think you’re doing this alone, you aren’t. As long as you ask for help. That was the single most important lesson I’ve learned along the way. My practice, Rise Medicine, is about rising above challenges you face in life and about empowering yourself to take your health into your own hands. Each time I’ve faced an obstacle in my journey, I pushed ahead and overcame it. It is that strength and resiliency that I want to instill in my patients. I want them to know that they can ask me for help and that I’ll be there every step of the way on their health journeys. The lotus flower, which is part of my logo, is the only flower that rises up from the depths of mud and grows to become a beautiful, budding flower. The lotus very much represents my journey and those of countless others on their paths toward healing. There is no other wellness team in San Diego quite like the team at Olympus Movement Performance. Having Rise Medicine based at Olympus is such a blessing. You have a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Athletic Trainers, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse, and myself there to treat patients, athletes, active adults, and teens alike, in such a forward-thinking all-encompassing way. I’m honored and proud to be a part of an integrative team that is at the forefront of the future of medicine.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a San Diego native, I’d want to start in Oceanside, where I grew up. Oceanside Pier and having a milkshake at Ruby’s Diner that sits at the end of the pier is a favorite pasttime of mine. Cruising down Coast Highway is probably the way to go if you want to head down south a little and take in the views of the beaches along the way. If the timing’s right, the Carlsbad Flower Fields are beautiful when they are in bloom. Moonlight Beach, Tabletops, and Windandsea are just some of the great beaches and surf spots, I’d want anyone to visit. La Jolla Cove to see the leopard sharks. UTC Mall for all the shopping. Can’t forget about all the great, authentic Mexican food, especially the cactus tacos at The Taco Stand. The Birch Aquarium is great for those with kids, as well as all the museums at Balboa Park. And of course the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, and Legoland. The iconic Potato Chip Rock hike – a little bit of a journey but well worth it. Coronado and the historic Hotel Del are beautiful during Christmas time. Taking the train to see the Padres at Petco Park. And if you want to get away from the coast, Big Bear is just a few hours away. Although, I don’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to come back to the coast and relax and take a sunset stroll at the beach. There are too many great places to name in San Diego, that you’d really just have to live here your whole life to really experience it all.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate my shoutout to my husband, Sean, and two kids, Laila and Milo. I started medical school living with my daughter, while my husband was in the Navy, stationed elsewhere. Without my husband, who has supported me in pursuing my goals, my career would not have been possible. I wanted to show my children that you should never give up on your dreams. They are my inspiration and my fuel and my reason for working hard. I owe my success to them and the rest of my family who have been there for me through it all.

Website: https://linktr.ee/rise.medicine
Instagram: @rise.medicine
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rise.Medicine
Other: Olympus Movement Performance Website https://www.olympusmovement.com/naturopathic-medicine-about.html

Image Credits
Personal Photo: Dr. Natiya Guin, ND All Others: Liz McGinnis Logo: Dr. Elaine Marquez McHugh