Background Principles of Integrative Medicine*

*NOTE: this elective is no longer offered as of July 2024

Course Description: This course provides a framework for developing a patient centric integrative medicine approach to care and focuses on four evidence-based clinical domains: therapeutic relationships, lifestyle medicine, variety of integrative modalities, and traditional medical systems.

Students will learn the definition, philosophy, and practice principles of integrative medicine. The application of these principles will be demonstrated with a variety of patient case studies demonstrating complex medical conditions. These diagnostic and management plans may include laboratory testing and treatment modalities not used in conventional medicine but are always based on good science and or long-standing traditions of practice. Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking, challenge what is being taught, and incorporate what is appropriate for each individual. This self-paced course will familiarize students with all key aspects of integrative medicine, including lifestyle medicine, and the basics of a variety of holistic modalities such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, and many others.

Modules:

• Module 1: History, Models of Care, Professional Identity, healing environments
• Module 2: Framing the Therapeutic Relationship: Developing your identity and communication style
• Module 3: CAM Modalities, their applications and current best evidence
• Module 4: Traditional Healing Systems, their history, current best evidence and utilization

Course Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Differentiate Integrative Medicine approaches to care.
2. Analyze how the Integrative Medicine model can be integrated into care of most patients.
3. Recognize practical Integrative Medicine professional skills across the domains of communication, approach, tools, and outcomes.