Complementary & Alternative Medicine Research Fellowship

The Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Fellowship program is fashioned to develop trainee skills in identifying CAM research questions, and in applying critical abilities to design and conduct CAM research. We provide career guidance and support as trainees apply successfully for independent CAM research support at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other national level research funding programs.

The goal is for trainees to develop critical thinking and scholarly skills to become prepared for a rigorous career in academic medicine or health-related CAM research. In addition to individual mentoring, the fellowship sponsors a weekly seminar series which provides trainees with opportunities to meet successful researchers, and to broaden their professional skill set.

The CAM research traineeship will be administered and directed alongside an existing Primary Care Research Fellowship, sponsored by the Health Research and Services Administration. Both programs are sponsored by T32 National Research Service Awards, and require commitments of two years dedicated towards research training. The CAM research fellowship is sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the NIH.

Dr. Barrett, a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine (DFM) at the UW SMPH, is Principal Investigator and Director of the fellowship. He has a long and successful record of CAM research, as well as teaching, mentoring, and clinical care. He is the primary care physician for many patients and families, and continues full-spectrum outpatient family medicine practice, where he teaches, mentors and supervises medical students and resident physicians.

There are a number of faculty in the medical school and in other schools in the university who serve as mentors for the fellowship. Most have successful histories of working to mentor trainees in their CAM-related research programs. We encourage all fellows to have 2-3 mentors to help them with their fellowship. Establishing long-term mentoring relationships is considered one of the primary goals of the program.