The Integrative Family Medicine Program: An Innovation in Residency Education

Abstract

The Integrative Family Medicine (IFM) Program is a four-year combined family medicine residency program and integrative medicine fellowship. It was created in 2003 to address the needs of four constituencies: patients who desire care from well trained integrative physicians, physicians who seek such training, the health care system which lacks a conventional integrative medicine training route, and educational leaders in family medicine who are seeking new strategies to reverse the declining interest in family medicine amongst U.S. graduates. The program was designed jointly by the University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine (PIM) and family medicine residency programs at Beth Israel/Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM), Maine Medical Center, Middlesex Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, and the Universities of Arizona and Wisconsin. One or two residents from each of these institutions may apply, and when selected, commit to extending their training by a fourth year. They complete their family medicine residencies at their home sites, enroll in the distributed learning associate fellowship at PIM, and are mentored by local faculty members who have training in integrative medicine. To date three classes totaling twenty residents have entered the program. Evaluation is performed jointly: PIM evaluates the residents during residential weeks and through online modules and residency faculty members perform direct observation of care and review treatment plans. Preliminary data suggest that the program enhances interest amongst graduating medical students in family medicine training. The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education Family Medicine residency review committee has awarded the pilot experimental status.

Integrative Medicine in Residency Education: Developing Competency Through Online Curriculum Training

“…[4][5][6] Residency might be the most appropriate level to teach IM as demonstrated by a 4-year model that included a full family medicine residency plus an IM fellowship. 7 This model successfully increased graduates' IM competencies and enhanced student recruitment. 8 A limitation is that the program educated just 6 to 8 residents annually.…”

Komplementäre und Integrative Medizin in der Facharztweiterbildung Allgemeinmedizin: Ergebnisse einer Bedarfserhebung bei Ärzten in Weiterbildung

“…um häufig genutzte pflanzliche Medikamente und Nahrungsergänzungsmittel sowie die Evidenz in Bezug auf Handhabung, Sicherheit und Wirksamkeit von CIM [19]. Die Implementierung dieses Curriculums obliegt den jeweiligen Universitäten und wird finanziell vom National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States unterstützt [20,21,22]. Auch in Australien wurden im Jahr 2007 vom Royal Australian College of General Practicioners (RACG) Kompetenzen im Bereich der integrativen Medizin, die sich an dem jeweiligen Aus- bzw.…”

Nem-konvencionális gyógymódok a háziorvos szemszögéből

“…Sundberg és mtsai kiemelik az integratív medicina bevezetésének fontosságát [20]. Több tanulmány megjelent, amelyek az integratív medicina szemléletében oktatott családorvos-rezidensek gyó-gyítómunkájának hosszú távú eredményeit vizsgálják [21,22]. A képzés eredményeként javult a rezidensek körében az integratív medicina megítélése és javult a pá-ciensekkel kialakított kapcsolat minősége is [23].…”