Practicum

To emphasize the cross-disciplinary application of academic knowledge and to help students develop real-time problem-solving skills, the IMHS program offers an eight-week-long mentored practicum in a relevant professional complementary and integrative medicine-related environment or public health field.

A folder containing detailed information on the requirements and guidelines is provided in the Fall semester. Further guidance is provided dedicated meetings offered at intervals throughout the academic year. 

Schedule

The scheduling of the precise start and end dates of the practicum should be mutually agreed upon between the mentor and the student. The practicum can begin at any time after the end of the Spring semester, which is usually wrapped up by mid-May. Students accepted to medical school with classes starting in July or August must schedule the start of their practicum in mid-May to allow time to complete the eight-week training course.

Registration

Students register for this course (PBIO 533-61) in February-March to start the practicum during the summer session. 

Full-time students are required to successfully complete their two semesters of coursework before starting the practicum. 

Part-time students are advised to consult with the program directors before engaging in any discussions with the practicum site. 

Purpose

Practicum should contribute to the students’ knowledge of CIM or public health at the clinical, basic science, educational, regulatory and/or public policy levels. 

A practicum is not a job, but an opportunity to learn and use practical real-world skills. It is also a responsibility because students serve as ambassadors of the CIM program and their behavior may affect opportunities for future students. Students are expected to conduct themselves professionally at all times during their internship.

Placements

This is a growing list of some of the institutions and organizations our students have worked at:

The Practicum has offered diverse experiences and has included a wide range of positions at Georgetown University and other local and national academic institutions, at federal agencies, and in the non-profit public sector. Over the years, students have worked at international agencies as well as in clinics and laboratories in India, the U. K., the People’s Republic of China, Germany, and Russia engaging in eye-opening, innovative, and cutting-edge projects in the IMHS field.

  • Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAH), Washington, DC
  • Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA
  • Beth Israel, Dept of Integrative Medicine, Continuum Center for Health and Healing, New York, NY
  • Capital Area Food Bank, Washington, DC
  • Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
  • Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, DC
  • Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
  • Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
  • Clinical Education Ward for Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Germany
  • Columbia University Center for Comprehensive Wellness, New York, NY
  • Duke University, Durham, NC
  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Washington, DC
  • George Washington University Integrative Medicine Center, Washington, D.C. 
  • Georgetown University, Washington, DC
  • Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
  • Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
  • Kaplan  Center for Integrative Medicine, McLean, VA
  • Maryland University of Integrative Health, Laurel, MD
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD
  • Natural Products Association, Washington, DC
  • Neurotherapy Center of Washington, Bethesda, MD
  • Northwestern Health Sciences University, Bloomington, MN
  • Office of Cancer CAM (OCCAM) at NCI, NIH Bethesda, MD
  • Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), NIH, Bethesda, MD
  • Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Boston, MA
  • Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Washington, DC
  • Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington, D.C. 
  • Samueli Institute, Alexandria, VA
  • Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
  • The Mindfulness Center, Bethesda, MD
  • University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
  • University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
  • University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA
  • University of Washington, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
  • Yale, New Haven, CT