Dr. Tamoro McDonald has serious respect for those who are Auburn born and raised. When asked whether she’s a true Auburnite she’s quick to clarify that she was born in California — though she moved to Auburn when she was three months old and has continued to live here for five decades.

“I feel that amazing ‘home feeling’ every time I drive back into Auburn. This community has enhanced who I was, and I’ve always felt deeply rooted here. Why would I leave?” she says.

These days Dr. McDonald ND co-owns and co-operates Docere Integrated Medicine, which she founded with her husband Shane McDonald in 2018, but she’s played many other roles in Auburn as well. Soccer and softball coach, early childhood educator, mom…

“Medicine was always the plan, but family showed up first, so I put college on hold for a few decades.”

She ran a licensed in-home childcare centre for thirty years, and then when her own kids graduated high school, they all started college together. Complimenting this unique experience of attending college with her kids was only outdone by walking with her son Kyle at graduation and earning Phi Theta Kappa honours. “We got to walk the stage together — it was such a great moment.”

She met her husband, best friend, and business partner Shane during her undergraduate education at Bastyr University. Together they devised a plan to make what was old, new again with a twist, and the concept of Docere Integrated Medicine was born.

“I started with a bachelors degree in Whole Foods and Nutrition Science, then my doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and tons of continuing education. My favorite thing to do is learn,” she says.

The doctor is the teacher

Her clinic’s name, Docere, is one of the seven pillars of naturopathic medicine, and is Latin for ‘doctor as teacher.’

“I love to teach my patients what’s going on! I always take time to explain their diagnosis, how we’re treating them and why I believe it will work, which is why appointment times last upwards of one hour” Dr. McDonald says.

Key to many treatment plans is nutrition, something Dr. McDonald learned young, at her mother’s Auburn Health Food Store.

“I was one of those kids who had healthy, kind of weird school lunches, thanks to my mom. But I never missed a day of school — I graduated with perfect attendance, and I credit it that to nutrition.”

As soon as she graduated Dr. McDonald opened her own primary care clinic, so she could avoid some of the dysfunction in other parts of the healthcare system. Her goal was to provide quality care to people who didn’t have insurance, but she’s been surprised to welcome many patients who have insurance and still weren’t getting quality care.

“When we opened, people in Auburn were ready. It’s clear this kind of clinic was needed.”

Docere Integrated Medicine offers a wide range of primary care services including family medicine, nutrient therapy, physical medicine, East Asian medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic care and more. Find the clinic at 4329 A St. SE or call 253-929-6413 for a free consultation.

Dr. Tamoro McDonald ran a licensed in-home child care centre for thirty years, and now runs Docere Integrated Medicine with her husband Shane.