Dr. McGregor, MD, discusses how people of faith can work with their doctors to get treatment that goes along with their beliefs.

Q: How can medicine and faith work together to heal patients?

A: The whole thing about the faith-based system is that you need to be comfortable with the fact that God will do what He wants to do. You can be healed, but it's going to be on His time and His terms.

I think that it's important for the patient to find a doctor who they can talk to and be honest with to share their beliefs and concerns with. They need to be able to tell their doctor where medicine disagrees with their faith. The challenge really is for the patient to sit there and say "fine, this is what I believe," and work with the doctor to find a treatment that does not go against those beliefs.

Since I was interviewed for this article, I have been diagnosed and treated surgically for prostate cancer. I believe my faith not only in my physicians, but in my God, has allowed me to recover quicker and with less stress, knowing that God never fails.

Read more from Dr. McGregor by clicking the links below:

• His experiences becoming a doctor
• What older patients are doing to stay healthy
• Getting the most out of doctors visits
• Story about patient lowering her blood pressure
• Getting tested for high blood pressure, diabetes, and HIV
• Parents' involvement in children's health
• What he likes best about being a doctor
• Tips to be a better patient

To listen to our interview with Dr. McGregor, click here for our podcast page.

Harlem Word is a series of interviews with Harlem health experts, written by HHPC and reviewed by our Health Advisory Board.