Empowering Women's Health and Fertility: The Radiant Clinic Story
I’m Dr. Monica Minjeur, a family medicine physician with specialized training in women's cycle health. I’d like to share the story of how Radiant Clinic got its start but in order to do that, I first have to tell you my story – the twisting tale that starts on my family’s farm, winds through my years of education and medical training around the Midwest, and brings us to today, where I pursuing my dream of opening my own women’s health clinic. Let’s dive in.
Growing Up and Finding My Way
I grew up on our family farm in northeast Iowa as the oldest of five children. Through their example, my parents taught us to work hard and to serve others. They also taught us how to manage a business. They ran our farm throughout my childhood and when I was a teenager, they started a sewing and quilting business they still own to this day. Although my career path started off a bit differently, I have seen firsthand the benefits of entrepreneurship and have been inspired to learn more and set off on my own adventure in business ownership.
After high school, I attended undergraduate at St. Louis University. I always knew I wanted to work in health care and there were so many options to choose from at my university. But I had other interests I wanted to pursue as well. I had a fantastic admissions counselor who told me I could major in whatever field I wanted to and still stay on track to pursue a medical degree after undergrad.
That’s how I ended up majoring in theology and minoring in biology. My elective classes kept me on the pre-med track with the intention to continue on to medical school. After my undergrad work was done, I was accepted to medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.
Journey Into Medicine
This was one of the defining moments of my educational career, as I applied only to osteopathic medical schools. The traditional medical degree, the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), requires training in allopathic medicine while osteopathic medical schools award the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree. There's a difference in our training but no difference in what we can do and how we can practice medicine in the United States.
Most of the osteopathic schools focus on more of a holistic approach to healing, which greatly appealed to me. After graduating from medical school, I chose to pursue a career in family medicine and completed a three-year residency program in Mount Clemens, Michigan, right outside Detroit.
Discovering a Passion for Women's Health
During my time in residency, a close family member about my age was diagnosed with a blood clot in her leg. She had been taking birth control pills in an effort to try and regulate her erratic menstrual cycles. The blood clot created serious issues that needed to be treated with other medications. Once the clot was gone, she wasn't able to go back on hormones to treat her erratic cycle due to the risk of another clot forming.
I knew there had to be a better option for treating her cycles without taking on the inherent risks of hormonal contraceptives. I began to develop a greater interest in women's health and learned more about fertility awareness methods for treating women's health concerns. I came to know more about the Creighton Model and NaPro Technology, which is a method of observing and charting biomarkers throughout each menstrual cycle.
Incorporating NaPro Technology
NaPro is a structured way for medical professionals to review the data patients collect in their charts. They then work through diagnostic and treatment plans to create an individualized approach to dealing with menstrual cycle irregularities or concerns. I decided to get additional training as a NaPro Technology Medical Consultant during my residency, so I enrolled in a program through the St. Paul VI Institute in Omaha, Nebraska. When I started my first job, I was able to incorporate NaPro technology into what I had learned from my traditional education background. This was what I needed to continue practicing medicine in a way that I feel is truly holistic, gets to the root of the underlying menstrual cycle, irregularities or fertility concerns, and doesn't inflict as much risk for side effects.
After residency, I moved back to Cedar Rapids, IA, to be closer to my family and joined a general family practice clinic where I incorporated NaPro Technology from day one. For the past 11 years, I have enjoyed working with an amazing staff and serving wonderful patients, and I've been able to carry out this commitment to both evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care in a way that I felt was best for the patients.
The Need for Radiant Clinic
Although I enjoyed general family practice, I came to realize that there's a growing need in our community, especially in the realm of natural women's health care. I have cared for many patients who are living with irregular menstrual cycles, debilitating pain with their cycles, menstrual migraines, PMS, as well as people dealing with the side effects of being on hormonal contraceptives that were supposed to correct those underlying issues. I've also worked with those struggling with cystic ovaries, infertility, or recurrent miscarriages. Many of these clients have come to me after seeing multiple specialists but leaving without an actual diagnosis or clear path forward.
Some have been on elaborate treatment regimens, which either weren’t helpful or had horrendous side effects. This can be a dark time for women with no clear answers and seemingly nowhere to turn. That's why I created Radiant Clinic – to bring light into that darkness.
Education and a Better Way Forward
One of the mainstays of Radiant Clinic’s mission is to provide personalized care plans tailored to each woman's specific needs and goals. More importantly, I want to provide you with education. Whether you’re reading this as a potential client or as a fellow member of the medical community, I want to have a conversation about how women’s health care can be better. Women need healthcare that doesn't leave us vulnerable to potential side effects, long-term consequences, and unanswered underlying diagnoses.
A Vision for Change
My husband and I recently were able to spend some time with family, and we had a conversation about the mission of Radiant Clinic. I explained how we want to serve people and how we’re singularly focused on finding the root cause underlying menstrual concerns. We talked about addressing those concerns, getting the appropriate diagnosis, working through a treatment plan together, and modifying as we go.
As we talked, my dear cousin said to me, “Well, isn't that how all health clinics provide care?” And my response was, “Yes, it absolutely should be. Unfortunately that's not always how care is actually delivered.” But it's time for a change. I've personally seen, diagnosed, treated, and walked with women along every step of their fertility journeys, and I've had the immense privilege to see how providing this unique level of care can help change lives.
In future blog posts, we will dive deeper into the issues women face concerning their menstrual cycle, health, and fertility. If you resonate with our mission, browse our website to learn more about our unique model of care. Whether you're in the Cedar Rapids area or in one of the many states where we provide telehealth, we're here to provide answers and healing. Consider booking an appointment with me today.