meet the doctor's

Daniel Rubin ND, FABNO

Dr. Rubin’s practice of naturopathic oncology has been an integral part of the Phoenix metropolitan medical community for the past 16 years.  After graduating from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in 1997, Dr. Rubin returned to SCNM to complete his residency.  During his residency Dr. Rubin began breaking new ground as he: 1) became the first naturopathic physician to integrate into the local County Hospital; 2) developed an international presence; and 3) launched a naturopathic oncology practice. In 2004, he became the Founding President of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP).  The OncANP represented a revolution for the field of naturopathic oncology providing, for the first time, definition, validation and standardization of the field of naturopathic oncology; an international movement was launched. OncANP then created the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology, the board certification arm, which began certifying physicians to become naturopathic oncologists in 2006. Dr. Rubin is co-Founder (along with his wife, Debi Smolinski, ND) and Medical Director of Naturopathic Specialists, LLC, in Scottsdale, AZ, where he practices full-time as a naturopathic oncologist.  At present, Naturopathic Specialists has served the clinical and logistical oncology needs of people from all 50 states as well as 15 countries.  Dr. Rubin has been a central figure in the invention and development of the concept of the naturopathic oncologist and its subsequent positioning in the global medical space. His most recent efforts are aimed at development and implementation of an individualized, modernized and streamlined informatics system for individuals with a diagnosis of cancer or those wishing to prevent the disease. Dr. Rubin is an expert at the integration of traditional and naturopathic medicine for people with cancer and services both the adult and pediatric population. His selected positions include those from the regulatory, education, advisory and community sectors and his main philanthropic interests are focused on children with cancer as well as post-graduate education.

Lise Alschuler ND, FABNO

Dr. Lise Alschuler is a naturopathic doctor. She graduated from Brown University in 1988 with an undergraduate degree in Medical Anthropology. In 1994, she graduated from Bastyr University Naturopathic Medical school. Since graduating, Dr. Alschuler has taught botanical medicine, gastroenterology and clinical skills to naturopathic students. She was founding Chair of the Botanical Medicine program atSouthwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1995 - 1996. From 1996 to 1999, she was Chair of the Botanic and clinical associate professor of the training clinic for Bastyr University naturopathic, acupuncture, and nutrition students from 1999 to 2003. In 2003, she became the director of the naturopathic medicine department atCancer Treatment Centers of America - Midwestern Regional Medical Center in greater Chicago, IL. In this position, she manages the provision of care and program development provided by the Department of Naturopathic Medicine at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Midwestern). Midwestern is a 95-bed JCAHO accredited regional hospital specializing in the provision of oncology care. The basis of the program at Midwestern is the provision of comprehensive integrative cancer care managed by Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Dr. Alschuler has published numerous articles on herbal medicine and naturopathic medicine in the lay press as well as in the medical literature She co-authored a comprehensive guide for the layperson and health professional alike: Definitive Guide to Cancer: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment and Healing (Celestial Arts, 2007). She has lectured extensively on these topics nationally as well as internationally. In September 2000, she was named by Seattle Magazine as one of Seattle’s Top Doctors. She currently serves as the President on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, is on the Board of Directors for the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology, and is immediate past President of the Illinois Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She believes that her job as a naturopathic physician and educator is to stimulate and support the innate healing processes within each individual by applying a scientifically based strategy that utilizes the most natural and least harmful approaches possible. Dr. Alschuler is licensed as a naturopathic physician in Arizona and Washington states. Dr. Alschuler's website can be viewed atwww.drlise.net.

Melissa Coats ND 

Melissa Coats is a licensed naturopathic physician. Dr. Coats graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a bachelor’s degree in Biology; she then went on to get her Masters in Bioethics from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Subsequently, Dr. Coats earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in Tempe, Arizona. While at SCNM she was very active in promoting naturopathic medicine with the Naturopathic Public Awareness Campaign (NPAC) now known as N-ACT, which supports legislation of naturopathic doctors licensure in all 50 States.

Dr. Coats received SCNM’s 2008 Outstanding Leadership Award for her active participation in College events, programs and activities, commitment to the profession as a whole, support of the College community, and commitment to advancing the profession of naturopathic medicine. She is a member of the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Dr. Coats’ most recent appointment is President of SCNM’s Alumni Association and she is currently serving on the Education Committee for the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association as well as the board for the Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley Ladmo Branch in Tempe.

Dr. Coats offers general naturopathic medicine for all ages with a focus on the special needs of the geriatric and oncology community.  Dr. Coats has been closely working with Dr. Rubin for the past five years in the area of oncology and will be sitting for the boards in the near future to earn her F.A.B.N.O.  Dr. Coats takes the approach with every patient that no matter what stage in life you are it should be at the best level possible and by taking an active interest in your health many illnesses can be avoided. Offering acupuncture, IV therapy, nutrient injections, homeopathy, physical manipulation, frequency specific microcurrent, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine along with general wellness Dr. Coats practices with a broad scope of treatment options. Dr. Coats has often stated that it is her goal to do whatever is necessary with each patient to obtain their optimum level of health at any stage of life.       

Leila Turner, N.D.

Dr. Leila Fosdick Turner received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Psychology from the University of California in Santa Cruz in 2002. She received her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine in 2007 from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM).

Following graduation Dr. Turner was accepted into the SCNM Residency Program and upon her second year achieved the position of Chief Resident. The focus of Dr Turner’s residency is primarily women’s medicine with an emphasis in homeopathy, individualized nutrition and the relation of the environmenta to one's health. Dr. Turner has opened her private practice at Naturopathic Specialists.

During her second year as a student at SCNM Dr. Turner was among the student founders of the Naturopathic Medical Student Association (NMSA) which has since grown in the AANP sSudent Affiliate Association, a much larger and now international group with members from the various naturopathic medical schools on the Continent. 

ankit chander md(h)