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Integrative Medicine at the University of Ottawa

October 22, 2009

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa has responded to student interest by creating an innovative new curriculum in integrative medicine.  This will be a 20-hour core set of lectures, workshops and seminars that will introduce future physicians to different Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies.  It will also provide an overview of natural medicines that have been clinically demonstrated to be safe and effective treatments for a wide range of health problems.

This is the first step towards establishing a Centre for Integrative Medicine at the University of Ottawa, which is one important vision of the Seekers Centre.  Future efforts will be focused on creating:

• a network of practitioners in the Ottawa area to mentor medical students interested in an elective experience in specific CAM therapies
• a group of academic physicians from each specialty at the University of Ottawa who will facilitate communication between departments to improve integrative patient care
• a fundraising program to create a multidisciplinary Centre for Integrative Medicine that will accept referrals from specialists within the Ottawa Hospital system