Program Summary

The goal of the proposed Arizona CAM Research Training Program (ACAMRTP) is to provide conceptual, didactic, and practical research fellowship experiences available through the research section of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, the Native American Research and Training Center in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and affiliate faculty from the Program in Integrative Medicine, the University of Arizona overall, and whole systems of CAM training institutions locally and nationally, with whom University faculty have established collaborations (e.g., Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (Phoenix), American Medical College of Homeopathy (Phoenix), Asian Institute of Medical Studies (Tucson), National College of Naturopathic Medicine (Portland), Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (Portland)).

This program has been designed to provide coordinated research training in major whole systems of CAM, with both qualitative and quantitative methods. Consistent with consensus panel recommendations on CAM research needs (Levin et al. 1997) and emerging opinions on the importance of mixed method qualitative-quantitative approaches (Verhoef et al. 2002), the training focus will include learning to identify the unique characteristics of the CAM system under study, understand patient and provider perspectives on treatment and outcomes, and adapt appropriate and rigorous research methodologies from diverse conventional fields for WSR. The strengths of the ACAMRTP include giving trainees a solid theoretical foundation in emphasizing appropriate research methodology and in fostering the practical professional skills to become an effective and successful academic faculty member with an independent, funded CAM research program.