Newswise — WASHINGTON (April 14, 2016) — The George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences is pleased to announce a new Fellowship in Integrative Medicine. Students who successfully complete the Master of Science in Health Sciences in Integrative Medicine will qualify to apply for the new fellowship. GW fellowship graduates will then be eligible to sit for the newly established American Board of Integrative Medicine® (ABOIM) board certification in Integrative Medicine.

“The GW Fellowship represents an evolution in the field of medicine and our graduates will lead this change towards a more patient centric, wellness, and health focused heath care system,” says Andrew Heyman, M.D., director of the Integrative Medicine Program. “The assembled faculty and curriculum represent the highest academic level, and the approval of the GW program by the ABOIM demonstrates our collective commitment to excellence in education.”

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, approximately 38 percent of adults are using some form of integrative medicine, and this is increasing. Graduates of the GW Fellowship in Integrative Medicine will be able to provide best practices for the increasing number of patients turning to Integrative Medicine. The cross-disciplinary, longitudinal curriculum produces competent, skilled health professionals and confers a broad set of proficiencies in clinical, research, business, and leadership disciplines.

The Fellowship in Integrative Medicine expands upon the Master of Science in Health Sciences in Integrative Medicine by adding additional hands-on experiences to meet core competencies defined by the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health. Fellowship students participate in a standardized patient assessment and partner with a clinical faculty member to observe, evaluate, and inform patient care. The fellowship prepares graduates to operate successful clinical practices, while building their professional skill set in research methods, business practices, relevant health policy, and social aspects of health. The curriculum was developed in collaboration with The Metabolic Medical Institute, which contributes expert faculty and content to the program, and is critical for in person learning experiences for students.

The GW Fellowship in Integrative Medicine program is now accepting applicants. For more information, please visit http://smhs.gwu.edu/integrative-medicine/integrative-medicine-programs/fellowship.

Media: For more information or to interview Dr. Heyman, please contact Lisa Anderson at [email protected] or 202-994-3121.

About the School of Medicine and Health Sciences:Founded in 1824, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) was the first medical school in the nation’s capital and is the 11th oldest in the country. Working together in our nation’s capital, with integrity and resolve, the GW SMHS is committed to improving the health and well-being of our local, national and global communities. smhs.gwu.edu