AIHM Plans Academic Partnership with Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine (OCIM)

The AIHM Fellowship is developing a partnership with the Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine that includes institutional members: National College of Natural Medicine, Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Pacific University and University of Western States

Portland, OR (PRWEB) August 07, 2015

Last month, the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM) announced the first truly interprofessional advanced training Fellowship in Integrative Health & Medicine under the direction of Tieraona Low Dog, MD. The two-year program is a hybrid model that includes 1,000 hours in the virtual classroom with media-rich training, discussion groups, streamed videos and interactive web-based curriculum along with live events. The program incorporates clinical rotations and three in-person retreats. Elective modules such as Integrative Pain Management, Nuances of Hormone Therapy, Integrative Strategies for the Cancer Patient, 21st Century Cardiology and Integrative Pediatrics will allow participants to tailor their training in accordance with their interests and their profession's requirements.

The AIHM Fellowship will deliver the program according to the standards of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through its academic partner. In searching for the academic partner, AIHM's Dr. Low Dog formed a committee led by Scott Shannon, MD, and Tabatha Parker, ND, AIHM Director of Education. The committee held in-depth discussions with a number of premier academic institutions.

The Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine (OCIM), which represents a group of prominent accredited health and medicine educational institutions, emerged as the ideal partner.

"The defining characteristic of the AIHM fellowship program is that it is interprofessional, which means medical and osteopathic physicians, pharmacists, licensed acupuncturists, dentists, and many others all training together," said AIHM President, Mimi Guarneri, MD, FACC, ABIHM. "OCIM brings more than 25 years of exactly that type of collaboration. Furthermore, Portland, Oregon is the only city in the U.S. to house all of the teaching institutions we need for the program as envisioned by Dr. Low Dog. We are extraordinarily well-suited for partnership."

According to the Chair of the OCIM Board of Directors and President of University of Western States, Joseph Brimhall, DC, "Our collaborative is thrilled to partner with the AIHM in training interprofessional healthcare providers to better understand and appreciate each other's disciplines. Patients ultimately benefit when practitioners collaborate to provide inclusive integrated health care."

Dr. Low Dog has expressed her excitement over the emerging partnership with OCIM:

"The AIHM Fellowship is the culmination of over 35 years of my life's work. Our academic partner, OCIM and its members, will infuse the fellowship with distinction while providing the infrastructure for its clinical component. The Fellowship curriculum is expertly crafted by a diverse group by professionals. Applications for our first class, which launches February 2016, are rolling in now."

The AIHM and OCIM expect to finalize the partnership by Sept. 1, 2015.

Those interested in the program can stay up-to-date with the latest developments at aihm.org/fellowship. Questions about registration and application can be directed to Fellowship Program Coordinator, Kristen Gates at (218) 525-5651.

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About AIHM
The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM) is an international, interprofessional, member-centric organization that educates and trains clinicians in integrative health and medicine to assure exemplary health care. The AIHM's training incorporates evidence-informed research, emphasizes person-centered care and embraces global healing traditions. By combining science and compassion, the AIHM is transforming health care. Go to www .aihm.org.

About OCIM
The Oregon Collaborative for Integrative Medicine (OCIM) is a nonprofit organization with membership comprised of National College of Natural Medicine, Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Pacific University and University of Western States. OCIM works to transform health care and improve the health of the public by creating integrative educational opportunities for students, residents, fellows, practitioners and patients by collaborating on integrative health research and patient care and by providing a collective voice for affecting change. OCIM believes that optimal health is not attainable within any single health discipline or profession, but rather is best achieved through an evidence-informed, integrative approach. Go to http://www.o-cim.org.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/08/prweb12892429.htm