At Emory University, he studied psychology, anthropology and Hebrew. He began medical school at Northwestern University but dropped out after a semester.
"I did well, but found that it wasn't broad-minded," he said. "I felt I could go to medical school and fight to get them to change their philosophy, or go to a D.O. school where they agree with my philosophy."
That was a "hard choice" because it meant abandoning a known career path - one in which he would never have to explain what he did. But after graduating from osteopathic school at NOVA Southeastern University in Florida and practicing for a few years, he found acceptance.
Today, he not only heads family medicine at Sinai but also teaches medical students and residents from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
One of his patients is Frank Kaufman, 62, a retired salesman from Owings Mills who struggled for years with obesity, diabetes and related problems.
Cymet recommended a gastric bypass - along with exercise and wholesale dietary changes that helped Kaufman to shed 150 pounds. Kaufman kicked the fast-food habit and learned to prepare sensible meals that he could eat during car trips.
When Kaufman developed a drug-resistant infection that reached the bones of his feet, Cymet put him on intravenous antibiotics - but also performed enfleurage, a type of massage intended to increase blood flow. For two years, the two worked to prevent amputation - though eventually Kaufman lost his leg below the knee.
"You can't always perform miracles," said Cymet. "But if your goal is to keep [the limb] as long as possible, you define success differently."
Today, Kaufman takes daily walks on his artificial leg and works out on exercise machines at the local gym.
"Without Tyler's interest and abilities, I wouldn't be here today," he said.
Only a minority of osteopaths still concentrate on manipulation, but many refer their patients to colleagues who do. They believe that the treatments can relieve not only strained muscles and tendons, but also headaches, asthma and other medical problems.
`A whole unit'
"We see the body as a whole unit," said Dr. Justine Clark, whose practice in Annapolis is one of the few devoted entirely to the technique. "If a patient comes in and has pain in the hand, we're going to look at what's contributing to it the neck, shoulder and elbow as well."
