University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver | Anschutz
Integrative Health and Medicine
Skaggs School of Pharmacy
Overview
Americans spend about $34 billion annually on supplements. While prescription medications form the foundation of medical treatment, integrative health and medicine (IHM) combines conventional western medicine with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), such as herbal medicines, acupuncture, massage, yoga, and stress reduction techniques, to offer patients specific health benefits.
The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) IHM graduate certificate program addresses the need to train healthcare professionals in the safe and effective use of IHM. The program focuses on pharmacognosy – medicinal drugs obtain from plants or other natural sources – pharmacology, and using evidence-based skills to make recommendations to make recommendations that emphasize the evidence and make use of all the appropriate therapeutic approaches for the patient to achieve optimal health.
The IHM graduate certificate program is open to the following applicants:
- Physicians (MD, DO), physician assistants (PA), nurses (BSN, ANP, NDP), pharmacists (PharmD and Bachelor of Pharmacy), and dentists (DDS) who are licensed to practice in the United States or Canada.
- Pharmacy students enrolled in ACPE or CCAPP accredited Doctor of Pharmacy programs.
Program Details
At A Glance
The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is a recognized global leader in clinical pharmacy education and can offer:
- Coursework that can be completed 100% online.
- Flexible program completion options: two semesters full time or up to four years part-time, if needed.
- Twenty plus years of distance-based/online pharmacy education.
Tuition and Fees
Investing in your future is a big decision. However, becoming a fully online student at CU Denver is an affordable option. And of course, you will save money not having to drive to campus! Tuition and fees are based largely on the number of classes you enroll in each semester.
And, the tuition amount assessed is determined based on which school/college is offering your class, as well as if it is an undergrad or graduate level, and finally your resident status. Visit the IHM website page to learn more information about tuition.
Timeline
New students will start the program in the fall semester. Prior to the start of classes, every student will meet with their academic advisor to complete an advising call. During the advising call, the student will develop with their academic advisor a coursework completion plan, which defines a schedule as to when the students will complete the coursework. Typically, students complete IHM coursework within two semesters, and students can take up to four years to complete the IHM coursework.Admissions
Admission requirements and deadlines vary based on the program. In addition, you will have different requirements depending on if you are a first-time student, a transfer student or an international student.
Learn more about the admissions process by filling out the form above or contacting an Enrollment Navigator today.
Career Outlook
Globally, there is a growing need for health-care providers, who are trained in the wide-ranging patient care spectrum. The advanced knowledge and skills necessary to deliver patient-centered care has been an expectation in the U.S. for many years, and the field is rapidly expanding globally. Hospitals, health systems, and government agencies continue to seek highly trained health-care providers, who are focused on improving health outcomes through clinical practice.Required Courses
The Integrative Health and Medicine graduate certificate program requires the completion of 9 semester credit hours of online coursework. The program is designed to provide students with the fundamentals to succeed in any clinical patient care setting.
Introductory and Applied Integrative Health and Medicine Courses – These courses are designed to introduce core IHM domains and familiarize students with the most common herbal products utilized by consumers, discuss regulatory issues and strategies for identifying good sources of products and touch on popular therapies including: Aromatherapy, homeopathy, mindfulness medicine, etc.
Medicine and Applied Evidence-based Medicine Courses - These courses provide students with the knowledge and skills to search and evaluate published IHM-related information, including clinical trials. Students are expected to interpret, identify, and evaluate commonly-used research designs and statistical tests, and apply this to clinical IHM practice. Students will also demonstrate the ability in creating focused clinical questions, completing literature searches to identify journal articles, critically appraising different types of journal articles, answering basic drug information questions, and preparing and presenting structured appraisals of articles.
Pharmacology of Integrative Medicine – This course describes the science of botanical products and non-botanical dietary supplements used to prevent or treat human disease. It will examine active compound structures and their naturally occurring derivatives, including: structure-activity and dose-response relationships; known molecular targets, mechanisms of beneficial action, toxicity and potential drug-supplement interactions; and the influence of extraction, formulation and excipients on bioavailability and stability.
Integrative Health in Common Clinical Diseases – This course will focus on clinical IHM applications in core diseases, including: cardiology, metabolic syndrome, GI conditions, CNS disorders, pain, oncology and men and women’s health. The course will educate the students on the strengths and limitations of IHM therapies (used alone or in combination with other therapies) in each core disease and how to address patient questions about the use of IHM therapies in the treatment of the patient’s core disease.
Your Future Begins with CU Online
CU Online is a pioneer in distance education. Since offering our first online course in 1996, we have grown to provide the people of Colorado and the United States with high-quality, engaging online degrees and certificate programs. Now it is your turn
to discover what you can accomplish when you earn your degree from CU Online.
Contact our Enrollment Navigators today to learn more about
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