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Expanded Certification Program Provides More Opportunity for Medical Professionals to Practice Functional Medicine
The Institute for Functional Medicine Announces New Changes to Its Certification Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2018
FEDERAL WAY, WA— The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) today announced an expansion to its certification program; allowing a broader range of medical professionals to have the opportunity to integrate Functional Medicine into their practice. This expansion aligns with IFM’s mission to increase the adoption of Functional Medicine, creating opportunity for an entirely new segment of practitioners and patients who will potentially benefit from this evidence-based approach to healthcare.
“IFM has been educating practitioners since 1991, and formally through its certification program since 2013,” says Amy R. Mack, CEO of IFM. “The expansion of our eligibility requirements enables more licensed medical professionals to gain certification so that the benefits of Functional Medicine can reach more patients who rely on them for their personal well-being. Our goal is to provide opportunities for a larger group of professionals to enhance their treatment approach to address the underlying causes of chronic disease for the best possible outcomes.”
The new eligibility requirements now include the addition of the following licensed degree types:
- Certified Nutrition Specialists
- Doctors of Optometry
- Doctors of Podiatric Medicine
- Mental Health Professionals
- Occupational Therapists
- Physical Therapists
Previously, eligible practitioners included MDs, DOs, naturopaths, chiropractors, PAs, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, dentists, pharmacists, acupuncturists, and registered dietitians.
“IFM Certified Practitioners are recognized as the most thoroughly trained and tested Functional Medicine clinicians in their fields and the most sought-after by both patients and employers,” says Robert Luby, MD, executive director of Medical Education for IFM. “With the expansion of our eligibility requirements, more qualified practitioners will be equipped with the knowledge, tools, and skills to help their patients and contribute to the transformation of modern medicine.”
IFM has made strides to make the required curriculum more accessible and cost effective with courses now available online. Along with these changes, IFM has also adjusted the seven-year completion time frame to four years, effective January 1, 2019. In addition, practitioners who complete the certification courses now hold their status for 10 years, expanded from the original requirement of six years. For more information, visit IFM.org/Certification.
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About The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM): IFM is the global leader in Functional Medicine. The mission of IFM is to serve the highest expression of individual health through the widespread adoption of Functional Medicine. For more information about IFM, please visit IFM.org.
Functional Medicine is a personalized, systems-oriented model that empowers patients and practitioners to achieve the highest expression of health by working in collaboration to address the underlying causes of disease. The primary drivers of the chronic disease epidemic are the daily interactions among an individual’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle choices. Functional Medicine addresses these underlying causes of disease and equips healthcare practitioners to help their patients manage this complex, interconnected web. For more information about Functional Medicine, please visit IFM.org.
Media Contact
Tabitha Barth
Public Relations and Community Coordinator, IFM
media@ifm.org
253.661.3013
