Unique insight into integrated medicine

Tuesday 17 May 2005

University of St Andrews students will become the first in the UK to gain an insight into Germany’s integrated medicine programme.

Six students (five medical, one biochemistry) have been awarded scholarships to visit the Department of Integrated Medicine at the University of Duisburg- Essen, Essen and learn about treatments available to patients.

Integrated medicine is a combination of orthodox medicine, mind/body medicine (which includes traditional Chinese medicine, nutrition, exercise and naturopathy) and evidence-based complementary medicine. By 2008, every university medical school in Germany will be required to teach the subject.

The Essen department is currently the official Department of Integrated Medicine for Germany and will serve as the model for other departments of Integrated Medicine throughout Germany.

During their four-day programme (26-29 May 2005), students will be given a guided tour of the department where they will meet consultants working in a variety of different areas of medicine including surgery, cancer therapy and naturopathy. Students will attend a full one-day workshop which will cover the principles of Integrated Medicine including the philosophy behind its practice and methods used during patient treatment. Students will also meet Professor Gustav Dobos from the University of Duisburg-Essen who holds the only German chair in Complementary and Integrated Medicine.

The visit has been organised by Dr Margaret Ritchie, Teaching and Research Fellow in the University of St Andrews’ Bute Medical School and Dr Gunther Spahn, Consultant Oncologist, Haematologist and Naturopath and Head of the Oncology Day Clinic.

The students are Teeara Rawjee, Sarah Gates, Katie Lang-Stevenson, Vincent Wong, Heiko Peschl and Mathew Brown.

A number of commercial donations totalling £1,000 from companies as far as the USA and Switzerland have made the trip possible.

Dr Spahn gave a presentation on the clinic at the first International Symposium in Integrated Medicine held at St Andrews last year. Drs Ritchie and Spahn are also collaborating in a study investigating the effect of nutrition and exercise in breast cancer patients.

ENDS

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information, please contact Claire Grainger, Press Officer – 01334 462530, 07730 415 015 or [email protected]; Ref: press releases/essen View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk


Category Student experience

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