Barbara L. Bakus, DO, Graduates from Pioneering Integrative Medicine Program

After two years of intensive training in areas including botanical medicine, mind-body interactions and nutrition, Dr. Barbara L. Bakus, a Balanced Living advertiser, has completed her Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Launched in the summer of 2000 by internationally-recognized integrative medicine pioneer Andrew Weil, MD, the Center in Integrative Medicine Fellowship combines residential sessions in Tucson with a “distributed learning” model in which participants learn via the Internet, in the comfort of their own home or office. Bakus, a board certified family physician in Chagrin Falls joined 74 other physicians and nurse-practitioners from all over the world in a graduation ceremony on December 12 in Tucson.

“Dr. Bakus has received the best training available in integrative medicine,” stated Dr. Andrew Weil. “I consider her fully prepared to go out in the world and help transform the practice of medicine and healthcare in the directions consumers want,” he concluded.

The program, which includes 1,000 hours of instruction, emphasizes clinical applications and collaboration to establish a broad knowledge base that will transfer into clinical practice. The curriculum utilizes patient simulations, collaborative dialogues, research updates and dialogues, problem-solving exercises, selected readings, group projects, and presentations. The focus is on the practical application of approaches that have scientific evidence and/or a history of traditional use. Methods of healing are explored, and physicians gain the ability to discuss these areas with both their patients and the practitioners of these disciplines. Fellows explore the Art of Medicine, Philosophy of Medicine, Medicine and Culture, Mind-Body Interactions, Nutrition, Botanicals, Physical Activity, Spirituality, Leadership, and Legal Issues.