About us
Edyta M. Konrad, MD, PhD, IFMCP
My practice is specializing in functional medicine and is a teaching location for the Tufts University School of Medicine. I have the following credentials:
- MD Degree, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland, 1979-1986
- PhD Degree, McGill University, Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Canada, 1986-1992
- Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1993-1995
- Residency, Internal Medicine, MetroWest Medical Center, Framingham, MA, 1996-1999
- American Board of Internal Medicine certified and re-certified, 1999, 2009, 2019
- Fellowship in Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, 1999-2000
- Training in Age Management Medicine via Cynegenics, 2014
- Training in Functional Medicine via the School of Applied Functional Medicine, 2017
- Certified in Functional Medicine via the Institute of Functional Medicine, 2018
Sharon K. Barrett MS, LDN
I am a licensed nutritionist and Certified Health Coach with a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition.
I consider myself fortunate to have attended a nutrition program that introduced me to functional medicine. Practicing in Dr. Konrad’s office has afforded me an incredible opportunity to deepen and apply my knowledge of functional nutrition.
When working one-on-one with nutrition patients, I always begin the conversation by asking them to articulate their personal health goals. This alignment is important and helps us prioritize first steps and make sure we are on the same page. Sometimes, a functional medicine workup can feel overwhelming initially, and one of my roles is to provide additional education to help the patient better understand what was learned from their initial visit with Dr. Konrad why the recommended treatment makes sense.
Nutrition and other lifestyle change is a first line therapy with the functional medicine approach. Lifestyle changes can feel daunting depending on a patient’s starting point. I help the patient determine what steps they can take that will move them forward in what feels like a reasonable way. From a nutrition perspective, I work with the patient to find the right combination of eating guidelines, functional food, and supplements to meet the treatment goals. This is an iterative process that often requires course corrections as health improves.
Follow up with the functional approach is a spiral with periodic reassessments that provide feedback to help the patient see that they are indeed moving in the right direction. Improvement in how a patient feels is the ultimate confirmation that this investment in their health is worthwhile.
My experience has taught me that once a patient understands what is happening with their body and they are offered the tools they need to effect change, a clear path toward health presents itself. What I love most about my work as a nutritionist is helping people reach that state of empowerment and then walking side-by-side with them on their journey to offer encouragement and guidance as needed.
Sharon K. Barrett MS, LDN