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Integrative Medicine and Advice on Weight Loss

ABOIM Weight Loss

Integrative Medicine is a medical specialty that is designed to help patients improve their overall health and wellness to not only treat existing conditions but also potentially avoid the onset of preventable diseases later in life. As a result, one of the key aspects of Integrative Medicine is that physicians who practice this specialty work closely with their patents to help them achieve optimum health, which often includes the practice of healthy dieting and shedding excess body fat.

A Healthy Stomach Bolsters Your Immune System

In a recent interview with National Public Radio, the past chair of the American Board of Integrative Medicine® (ABOIM), Dr. Gerry Mullin, provided insight into the importance of maintaining a healthy microbiome. As Dr. Mullin explains, having a healthy balance in the stomach is absolutely essential because as much as 70 percent of the body’s immune system stems from the microbiome. When this balance of good and bad bacteria gets misaligned, it can cause chronic inflammation which can eventually lead to a number of diseases like diabetes, arthritis, obesity, and even cancer. Another potential concern with the microbiome is the profound impact that antibiotics can have on the so-called good flora of the stomach. While antibiotics are obviously vitally important for treating a number of different infections and other conditions, an over-reliance on them can have a negative impact on the microbiome over the long term.

For these reasons, Integrative Medicine puts a strong emphasis on nutrition and educating patients on making smart decisions with the foods that they consume. Often, making relatively simple adjustments to their daily diet can greatly improve the overall health of the stomach, improve the patient’s immune system, and also quicken the individual’s metabolism.

Certification in Integrative Medicine Through the ABOIM

The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) meets the growing demand for integrative medicine by offering board certification through the ABOIM. To qualify for certification, candidates must first fulfill the general ABPS requirements, which include graduating from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school in the U.S., Canada, or internationally, and holding an unrestricted medical license in the United States, its territories, or Canada.

The ABOIM has established specific eligibility criteria that candidates must meet:

  • Completion of a residency accredited by ACGME, AOA, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).
  • Possession of current or previous board certification from a Member Board of the ABPS, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC.
  • Completion of an integrative medicine fellowship approved by the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health.
  • Submission of a current curriculum vitae that includes details of medical education, degrees obtained, and work experience.
  • Provision of three letters of recommendation from Diplomates of an ABPS, ABMS, AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC board of certification.
  • Completion of a self-query of the National Practitioner Data Bank and submission of the resulting report.

Once candidates meet these criteria, they are required to pass a computer-based written examination to achieve ABOIM board certification. Once awarded, the certification is valid for eight years, expiring on December 31 of the eighth year.

To determine if your physician has been board certified through the ABOIM or any of the other Member Boards of the ABPS, you are invited to use the patient portal found here.

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Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
When I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine
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