Industry Leader Spotlight: Sandra Chase, M.D.
By Eric Foxman, with thanks to Nick Nossaman, M.D., and the American Institute of Homeopathy for the basis of this profile.
In reviewing Dr. Sandra Chase’s career in homeopathy, one is astounded by the wide variety of roles she has fulfilled nationally and internationally. These include past President of the American Institute of Homeopathy, past President of the American Board of Homeotherapeutics, and past President of Honor of Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis. She continues to serve on the Board of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia Convention of the United States, a position she has filled for more than 30 years. Dr. Chase deserves high praise and gratitude for those decades of service to our community. Perhaps the most unique and enduring accomplishment was her determined leadership in the Doctor Samuel Hahnemann Memorial restoration project in Washington, D.C. — an enormous and expensive task with a beautiful outcome.
Dr. Chase is well known for her dry wit, which was often prevalent and much appreciated when she conducted meetings and gave speeches. She is a walking repository for details regarding historical and political events in domestic and international homeopathic organizations and interactions between the various homeopathic bodies. All who have served on the various boards with her have benefited from her knowledge and memory of details. Those who have submitted written drafts for her review know firsthand of her insistence on correct grammar and punctuation, which in turn improved her colleagues' writings.
As a child, Dr. Chase and her family were introduced to homeopathy after her father suffered from an intractable tonsillitis, which was cured by the correct remedy. The prescriber, Dr. Julia Minerva Green, went on to become the family’s doctor and one of the two women physicians to inspire Dr. Chase’s significant practice and continuation of mentoring the next generation in homeopathy. The second inspirational woman physician was Dr. Maesimund Panos, who was Dr. Chase’s mentor and friend for many decades.
Dr. Chase never trumpeted her clinical skills, but one recollection by Dr. Nick Nossaman exemplifies her abilities. He recalls how she was the only one to determine a correct remedy in a complicated case presented in a class taught by George Vithoulkas.
Besides her professional activities, Dr. Chase loves nature. She has spent many hours with her camper van in various areas of the country, especially the Blue Ridge Mountains in her home state of Virginia. She also has a great fondness for her canine friends, some of whom have also been faithful sidekicks on her many travel adventures. Dr. Chase has recently retired from active practice and has stated she looks forward to more explorations across America. We wish her safe travels and delightful adventures.