Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord is the first Navajo woman to be certified in surgery. She attended Stanford University to gain the technical and clinical skills needed to perform surgery. She also listened to the lessons of the healers of her tribe who use songs, symbols, and ceremonies with families and neighbors to provide comfort and speed recovery. She continues to perform surgery and is still seen as a role model for the Navajo community. In her practice, she bridges two worlds of medicine—traditional Navajo healing and conventional Western medicine—to treat the whole patient. She provides culturally competent care to restore balance in her patients' lives and to speed their recovery.