David Oster ND, FABNO
Get to Know Dr. O
Dr. David Oster is most often described by his patients as a kind and thoughtful doctor, possessing a tremendous wealth of knowledge in the field of clinical oncology. His constant display of clinical proficiency and compassionate care is delivered thru a clear teaching style they prize as essential to their fight.
Though his gentle and professional demeanor is what is most commonly spoken of him, his clinical skills and rare expertise are hard to overstate.
Dr. David Oster is one of the most highly trained and experienced naturopathic doctors to devote his full practice exclusively to cancer patients, for all cancer types and for individuals walking through any stage of the disease.
His unique expertise to safely and seamlessly integrating Naturopathic medicine with standard oncology treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, immunotherapy, specialty procedures) was developed from many years treating cancer patients on the front-lines at a high-volume cancer hospital. The honing of Dr. Oster’s advanced clinical skills was inevitable as he worked every day side-by-side with radiation and medical oncologists in the hospital’s out-patient clinic and infusion center. While working in the in-patient wards of the hospital, his daily responsibilities included collaboration with the hospitalists who were caring for patients in their most vulnerable and critical times. David’s rare level of real-time clinical proficiency, sharpened by continuous collaboration and minute-by-minute case discussions with oncologists, is underlined by the multiple clinical awards and leadership placements that have been bestowed upon him. David was known in the hospital as having a special ability to help patients receive difficult news, and to clarify multi-faceted aspects of a patient’s case to help them walk through complex clinical decisions. Whether Dr. Oster is sitting with patients dealing with the confusion of a new diagnosis, or the gravity of advanced disease, his compassion and professionalism are of the highest standard a doctor can possess.
GENERAL PRACTICE (2005-2011):
After 7 years in general practice in Canada (yes, he’s Canadian), David recalls how his cancer patients and their lovely families seemed to impact him in a way unlike any other condition he was treating. They captured his clinical passion and personal heart. As word got out, Dr. Oster’s general practice gradually took on an ever-increasing oncology focus.
STAFF PHYSICIAN, CANCER HOSPITAL in Atlanta (2012-2017):
Eventually Dr. Oster decided that he wanted his professional career to be devoted exclusively to caring for oncology patients and their loved ones. In 2012, he was hired on into a clinical staff position at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), a large integrative cancer hospital just south of Atlanta, Georgia.
Early into his time there his dedicated efforts and loving way he cared for patients was noticed. David has been recognized with 1 “Excellence in Leadership Award”, and 2 “Silver Medal Awards” for outstanding clinical care of patients, exceeding the already high standards for the facility. His clinical abilities were also recognized by his superiors and he held multiple clinical lead positions until he left. David was the Preceptorship Lead (training 9 staff physicians into their clinical roles at the hospital), Clinical Lead (daily coordinating patient care and establishing standards of excellence for his department), stand-in Director, and he has been selected as his department’s representative on numerous hospital committees, most notably the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).
CREDENTIALS:
Dr. Oster became board certified as a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO) in 2014, a fellowship reserved only for the few naturopathic doctors who have at least 2 years of concentrated practice in clinical oncology and who pass the national regulatory examinations for this board.
Academic & Professional Credentials:
- Bachelor of Science (Pre-medicine, 4 years), with honors (1999). Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (4-year program) (2004). Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Toronto, Canada
- Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO) (2014).
This is a general chart outlining the relative oncology experience held by licensed Naturopathic Doctors
[CHART TO BE UPLOADED SOON]