Through a variety of service-learning opportunities, educational experiences, as well as pursuing student-led initiatives as a final project, students will build confidence, resilience, and familiarity with the practice and application of integrative medicine in healthcare.

Curriculum Overview

Students will be expected to

  • Define integrative medicine, 
  • Recognize the impact of lifestyle on health, and 
  • Become familiarized with modalities of integrative medicine including opportunities to further explore individualized topics of interest through service learning. 

Students will be introduced to the following integrative medicine facets

  • Diet/Nutrition and Supplements (herbalism, vitamins) 
  • Exercise and Movement Mind/body techniques (meditation, guided imagery, mindfulness) Manipulative practices (massage, reflexology) 
  • Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture 
  • Ayurvedic medicine 
  • Native American healing Energy therapies (healing touch techniques, reiki) 
  • Optional: aromatherapy, nature exposure, positive thinking –

By the conclusion of the program, students will understand when a specific integrative modality may be warranted such as in pain, chronic disease, and body and mental health management, and how to appropriately direct patients’ care by practicing case scenarios of commonly prescribed integrative modalities in a variety of medical conditions.  They will have explored how to effectively and collegially include other allied health professions/resources into your care team and they will recognize how to best manage integrative medicine health controversies and topics such as the patient who would like to try alternative treatments over a well-established conventional treatment.

The structure of the program is flexible and can be completed across any number of years of school. 

Requirements necessary for completion Participation in 10 hours of service related to integrative medicine, 80 percent of didactic offerings, and completion of an end-of-certificate service learning project of student choice.

Teaching modalities Guest lectures, experiential sessions, student led presentations, standardized patient scenarios and case-based simulations, and service learning Student assessment: Reflections at end of at least 3 didactics to inform final community service project