The Dr. Z
About The Dr. Z
The Dr. Z is a comprehensive functional medicine hub founded by Dr. Brandy Zachary (aka “Dr. Z”), a seasoned clinician, educator, and entrepreneur who empowers health practitioners and patients to think differently about chronic health and the practice of medicine. At its core, The Dr. Z exists to help practitioners move beyond symptom suppression and traditional protocols to deliver root-cause, patient-centered care while also building thriving, sustainable practices.
At The Dr. Z, functional medicine isn’t just theoretical—it’s practical, actionable, and fun. The platform offers an array of clinical training and mentorship, business tools, lab interpretation software, networking opportunities, and community support designed to help clinicians confidently launch, grow, and scale their practices. Whether you are just beginning in functional medicine or looking to refine advanced clinical and entrepreneurial skills, Dr. Z and her team support every step of the journey.
Dr. Z’s approach reflects her own path—from overcoming a serious health crisis that conventional medicine couldn’t resolve to founding a successful functional medicine clinic and teaching thousands of practitioners worldwide. With clarity, humor, and deep clinical experience, she blends evidence-based education with practical strategies for both patient care and business success.
The Dr. Z community is built on inclusion, connection, and the belief that meaningful change in healthcare starts with clinicians who are confident, curious, and well supported. Whether through the Functional Medicine Academy, mentorship programs, lab tools, or practitioner networks, The Dr. Z helps practitioners serve patients more effectively while experiencing professional and personal fulfillment.
About Functional Medicine Academy
The Functional Medicine Academy is a dynamic, practitioner-focused training experience created to equip healthcare providers with the clinical confidence, practical tools, and business savvy needed to thrive in functional medicine. Led by Dr. Brandy Zachary (Dr. Z), the academy blends high-impact clinical education with real-world practice strategies—so clinicians can make meaningful changes in patient outcomes and build a sustainable practice they love.
Unlike programs that stay in the realm of theory, The Functional Medicine Academy delivers practical, actionable content you can apply Monday morning—from interpreting labs through a functional lens to designing individualized treatment plans and navigating the business side of practice. Dr. Z fosters an open, supportive learning environment where questions are welcome and every clinician is known by name, creating a space that’s both empowering and community-oriented.
The academy offers a range of pathways—including certification coursework for clinicians ready to deepen their functional medicine expertise and structured mentorship opportunities for those seeking hands-on guidance in launching or growing their practice. Across all offerings, the focus remains on training clinicians to deliver patient-centered care grounded in root-cause thinking while also mastering practice operations, lab utilization, patient engagement, and business growth.
How Pinnacle Supported The Dr. Z Through Joint Providership
Through joint providership, Pinnacle partnered with The Dr. Z to deliver fully accredited continuing education that empowers clinicians to deepen their expertise in functional medicine and evidence-based patient care. Pinnacle managed the complete accreditation process—ensuring CME/CE compliance, handling all necessary documentation, and validating credit eligibility for participating healthcare professionals—allowing The Dr. Z team to focus entirely on providing high-quality, clinician-led education and mentorship.
By overseeing the regulatory and administrative requirements, Pinnacle enabled The Dr. Z to dedicate its efforts to delivering impactful programs such as the Functional Medicine Academy and other advanced practitioner training. This collaboration reflects Pinnacle’s commitment to making accreditation seamless and accessible while upholding the highest standards of educational integrity. Together, they created a transformative, fully accredited learning experience that equips clinicians with the knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to implement functional medicine principles effectively and grow thriving, patient-centered practices.
