Contact: Sue Leverenz, Assistant Director Associate Fellowship, 520-626-5536; [email protected]
Nation's Only Training Program in Integrative Medicine To Launch Distance Learning Initiative
TUCSON, AZ --- As the number of individuals with an interest in integrative medicine continues to increase, the number of physicians and other health care providers demanding training in integrative modalities has skyrocketed. Harnessing the power of technology, the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine has responded by developing the nation's first integrative medicine distance learning initiative, using the Internet and other media to educate physicians and nurse practitioners all across the world. The two-year initiative, dubbed the Associate Fellowship, is scheduled to launch this August.
The Associate Fellowship will closely mirror the program's innovative residential fellowship, created by integrative medicine pioneer Andrew Weil, M.D., which requires its fellows to relocate to Tucson for two years. Now in its third year, the residential fellowship includes both didactic and clinical training, and was designed to produce the next generation of physician leaders. The Associate Fellowship, however, was designed for those physicians who are not able to leave their practices for two years to train in Tucson, but remain interested in obtaining an education in the field.
"This initiative will emphasize clinical applications, case studies, and collaboration to provide a broad conceptual and practical education in integrative medicine," stated Richard Liebowitz, M.D., Director of Education at the Program in Integrative Medicine. "The distributed learning approach will provide a great opportunity for our associate fellows to learn in the comfort of their homes or offices, at times most convenient for them," he continued. The curriculum will be presented through various media, including Internet-based study modules, electronic mail, online discussions, articles, books, videos, and audio tapes. Like the fellows in the residential fellowship, the associate fellows must satisfy the initiative's clinical curriculum, requiring them to come to Tucson. However, this will consume just three separate residential weeks during the two-year experience.
"As a physician, I am regularly faced with patients demanding the kind of health care that integrative medicine offers," noted Liebowitz. Based on a blend of conventional and alternative medicine, the integrative approach combines the best practices from many healing systems into therapies that stimulate the human body's natural healing potential. "Through this new distance learning initiative, physicians and other health care providers will now be able to incorporate the philosophies and techniques of integrative medicine into their practices," he continued, "which will respond to their patients' significant needs."
Applications for the Associate Fellowship's inaugural class will be accepted until mid-March. Additional information about the initiative, with instructions on how to apply, can be found at http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/af/. The program will select 40 associate fellows for the inaugural class.
Founded by Dr. Andrew Weil in 1997, the Program in Integrative Medicine was established to foster the redesign of medical education to incorporate the philosophy of integrative medicine. The program trains leaders who will launch similar programs at other academic institutions and help shape health care policy.
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