A well recognized limitation of conventional medicine is its longstanding specialization, which often results in a view of the body as a collection of separate body parts or systems. Integrative medicine research seeks to understand connections across physiological systems (e.g. Does breathing influence the digestive system? Do body movements influence the immune system?).
In addition, integrative medicine research emphasizes integration of research approaches “from cells to animal models to patients.” For example, we know that mechanical forces have profound effects on cells in a culture dish, but how does this translate to physiological processes in a whole animal or human?
To ensure our clinical and research efforts blossom into a new standard of care, we are training the next generation of practitioners in integrative medicine. The educational activities of the Center take place across the Harvard community and are targeted at the medical student, resident, fellow, and continuing medical education audiences, as well as the general public.
To support our educational efforts we offer the following fellowship opportunities:
A key element of the education agenda for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine is a research fellowship training program, which has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) – now the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) since 1999.