Integrator Pot-Pourri: Academic Integrative Medicine, Marketplace, Business, People, Plus ...
Written by John Weeks
Integrator Pot-Pourri: Academic Integrative Medicine, Marketplace, Business, People, Plus ...
Summary: Bravewell
fellowships boost University of Arizona program ... A fall conference
bridges "holistic" and "integrative" and promises certification of
medical doctors in "integrative holistic medicine" ... Details on the
internet-based masters in Integrative Health & Wellness at the
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey ... 160 massage
therapists turn out for Oncology Massage Healing Summit ... Foundation
led by a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist seeks to start an
integrative inpatient facility in Portland ... Jacobs' work at
Revolution Health now includes a regular
blog ... Natschke and Mittman receive top awards from their
professional associations ... plus Mayo brings in speaker on rituals in
healing, and more ...
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1. Bravewell Clinical Fellowships Boost Importance of Weil/Arizona Program
A recent notice from the Bravewell Collaborative, an
organization of
philanthropists involved with integrative medicine, boasted of the 51
"clinical fellowships in integrative medicine" that the organization
has awarded. The recipients of the fellowships will be from academic
health centers. Each will receive some portion of the roughly $30,000
tuition to attend the associate fellowship program of the Program in Integrative Medicineat the University of Arizona. One outcome of the Bravewell program will be to more significantly establish the PIM associate fellowship, directed by Victoria Maizes, MD and founded by Andrew Weil, MD,
as the standard for training of academics in the integrative medicine
field. The merging field of integrative medicine has been notable for a
lack of a defining standard of training.
Co-sponsoring with the American Board of Holistic Medicine
2. Regarding "Integrative Holistic Medicine" - The ABHM/Scripps Conference
Speaking of standards in integrative medicine training: the other most
significant credential is certification as a holistic doctor through
the American Board of Holistic Medicine (ABHM). For the second year, the ABHM is teaming with Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine to
sponsor a conference, October 28-November 1, 2007. The conference also doubles as a training for individuals
who wish to sit for ABHM's board certification test. The exam is
administered directly after the conference.
Co-sponsoring with Scripps
The Scripps link is a coup
for ABHM, which has sought to bridge the gaps between the old-line
holistic MDs and the emerging integrative medical doctors. The outcome
was the declaration last year, by this group, of an emerging specialty
of "Integrative Holistic Doctor." The ABHM site does not yet show
signs of becoming an "ABIHM" site - with the "I" for "Integrative" inserted.
Comment: I was pleased to see this development, which I
missed last year. The nearly all MD program of the conference stimulates one
comment, but a nagging and important one. The mission of
"integrative medicine" includes reference to the importance of knowing
how to work with "other healthcare professionals and disciplines." The principlesof holistic medicine include language which stresses the importance of
"integration of healing systems" and knowing about "all healing
systems." Yet the program features no presenters from the distinctly
licensed healthcare professions. One might assume that this mission and
these principles would be advanced with some incorporation of
practitioners of other disciplines. Does the certification in
"integrative holistic medicine" require that these physicians know
anything about other practitioners? 3. UMDNJ Offers Web-Based Masters in Integrative Health and Wellness; Seeks Program Director
Interested in a web-based Masters' degree program in Integrative Health & Wellness? The Institute for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (ICAM) at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
has announced that it is offering a fully-accredited program with
this title through its School of Health Related Professions. The
program is designed for those
health-related professionals seeking to further their knowledge of
evidenced-based complementary and alternative medicine. The schools has developed a useful FAQ that can be accessed by clicking here. ICAM is seeking a program director for hte program. Questions about the course or prorgam can be directed to Lynn Miller,
Director of Education, ICAM, at 973-972-8648.
The Integrator covered this news earlier. I return to
share a look at what is viewed as constituting such a "mastery." Here
is the course breakdown:
MSHS Core Courses (12 credits)
Data Analysis and Interpretation I, 3credits Health Services Issues and Trends, 3credits Evidenced-Based Literature Review, 3credits Research Methods, 3credits
Specialization Required Courses (9 credits)
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Seminar, 3credits
Integrative Treatments for Common/Chronic Conditions,
3credits Integrative Health Coaching and Self Care, 3credits
Herbs and Dietary Supplements, 3 credits CAM Journal Club and Independent Study in Research
and Writing, 3credits Mind/Body Medicine, 3 credits Ethical Issues in Health Care Practice, 3credits
The UDMNJ initiative in integrative medicine is led by Adam Perlman, MD, MPH. The program is distinguished among the 38 programs that are part of the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicineby its shared sponsorship across diverse UDMDNJ schools. Perlman brings
a seasoned integrative clinical background to his work, based in part
on developing and running a pioneering integrative clinic at St. Barnabas Hospital - an institution known to Soprano's aficionados. The new program is housed in the UMDNJ School of Health Related Professions.
4. 160 Massage Therapists Attend First Oncology Massage Healing Summit
An article by Tracy Walton, LMT in
Massage Today (August 2007) described the first gathering of "Oncology Massage Healing Summit." The
conference was held at Mercy
College of Northwest Ohio in Toledo, Ohio. The article reported that Gayle MacDonald and Tina Ferner
"dreamt up the notion" of a conference in this area. MacDonald is the author
of Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People with Cancer and Massage for the Hospital Patient and Medically
Frail Client. Ferner coordinates the Integrative Therapy Department at
St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. The article is can be accessed here. Proceedings and some sessions are can be accessed here.
5. Group Seeks to Develop Integrative Hospital Near Portland, Oregon
The Chitari Foundation, led by Satya Ambrose, ND, LAc and
three other women is attempting to fundraise capital to create an
integrative inpatient and outpatient center near Portland, Oregon. The Integrator was contacted by Tom Messinger,
by a naturopathic medical student at National College of Natural
Medicine. Chitari is Nepalese for "meeting place." The foundation is
"dedicated to
establishing an integrative medical, education, and sustainable healing
community" that will "promote the healing of the individual and of the
planet." The group envisions that an organic farm and a community
farmer's market will be on the premises. The visionary plan also
includes community education programs and a focus on sustainability. The website did not indicate whether it has yet proved to be a meeting place for
Bradly Jacobs, MD, MPH
6. Jacobs Begins Blog at Revolution Health
Integrative medicine leader Bradly Jacobs, MD, MPH is a senior medical director for Revolution Health. For months, Jacobs has been writing a newsletter called Natural Dose. More recently, Jacobs, an Integrator advisor, began a blog for Revolution. He sent me this note:
"Most
of you know that I left UCSF last fall to move to Washington DC
to assume the role of Senior Medical Director at Revolution Health Group.
In addition to my other responsibilities, I have been asked to start a BLOG
and the “Natural
Dose” newsletter – each offer commentary on recent health-related
news/research, and practical strategies for living well whether you are focused
on wellness, disease prevention, or managing a condition. "I
value each of your opinions greatly and therefore would be honored if you would
read my blog (comment and rate it!), and subscribe to the newsletter."
Jacobs' blog is typically based on Jacobs'
views on emerging science. For instance, the most recent entry on
August 29th featured a review article on Yoga led by Ather Ali, ND, MPH, and the integrative medicine group at Yale. An early Integrator article on Jacobs and the Revolution Health initiative, created by America Online founder Steve Case, is here.
Paul Mittman, ND, AANP Physician of the Year
7. Practitioner of the Year Awards: Natschke for Nurses, Mittman for Naturopathic Doctors
8. Miscellaneous
Guidepoints, the monthly newsletter of the National Acupuncture Detoxification
Association, has announced that a new edition of a "one-stop resource" for
acu-detox research is available. The Guide to Acupuncture Detoxification Research is a
66-page booklet made available through J&M reports. 888-276-9978.
The booklet, which covers all research published since 1993, is based
on articles previously published in Guidepoints ... Jeannine Walston, a former staffer for the NCCAM Clearinghouse, the NCI and for members of Congress has relocated to San Francisco where she has begun a public relations firm, Healing Focus. Walston spent last year back in Germany undergoing experimental cancer treatments
... One sign of the advance of integrated care was the decision of Mayo Clinic, bastion of their own brand of evidence-based medicine, to welcome Lewis Mehl-Madrona, MD, PhD as a speaker at their "Spirituality Grand Rounds." Mehl-Madrona, part Cherokee and part Lakota, spoke on the power of "ritual in healing" according to a notice from the Mayo Spirituality in Healthcare Committee.
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for inclusion in a future article.
1. Bravewell Clinical Fellowships Boost Importance of Weil/Arizona Program
