The George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) received a $50,000 gift from Daniel S. Birnbaum, DO, RESD `16, and family, to create the Theodore and Cynthia Birnbaum Memorial Fund for Integrative Medicine.
Dr. Birnbaum, who completed his residency in the GW Department of Neurology, has made this gift to honor his parents, specifically his father’s interest in Integrative Medicine – an approach that joins the best of both conventional medicine with complementary and alternative medical therapies to treat the whole patient, not just their symptoms.
The Theodore and Cynthia Birnbaum Memorial Fund for Integrative Medicine will provide support for research within the GW SMHS' Integrative Medicine Program to assist with the development of the evidence base for Integrative Medicine. The fund will also be used to help establish an annual symposium that will bring together thought leaders in this medical approach. The symposium will feature a keynote address by a nationally known leader in Integrative Medicine who will be known as the “Theodore and Cynthia Birnbaum Memorial Speaker.”
The gift supports the mission of GW SMHS’ Integrative Medicine Program, ensuring that graduates are equipped to embrace the changing demands and innovations of the healthcare landscape. Within the Integrative Medicine Program, practitioners learn to utilize their new knowledge of biological systems and advanced analytical methods to evaluate the needs of their patients and make informed decisions regarding their wellness plan.
The Integrative Medicine Program at GW is the only one of its kind offered at an academic medical center and offers health care professionals unique opportunities to enhance their education with graduate level coursework in Integrative Medicine: a Master of Science in Health Science degree, a graduate certificate, and a fellowship for health professionals who have already earned their MSHS.
