Project Background & Overview

The Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC, in partnership with the UC College of Medicine and with support from the Dean’s office, has received grant funding from the Weil Foundation to integrate a new longitudinal wellness thread into the medical school curriculum focused on integrative and lifestyle medicine. This thread will be integrated into existing required coursework for all first and second year medical students, transforming the way our medical school is positioned as a leader in advancing integrative and lifestyle medicine education and prevention for the next generation.

“The lifestyle and integrative medicine curricular thread will give all medical students a fundamental understanding of the impact that lifestyle choices and complementary practices (acupuncture, meditation etc.) can have on the prevention, treatment and reversal of chronic conditions, while also providing additional, optional offerings for students with a passionate interest in lifestyle and integrative medicine. Ultimately, all levels of interest from our learners will be met,” says Aaron Marshall, PhD, Curriculum Integration Co-Director

The integration of integrative and lifestyle medicine evidence-base into the curriculum will expand UC medical students’ breadth of core competencies and evidence-based treatment options to empower them to be at the forefront of an emerging value-based care and prevention model in the approach to chronic disease.

Curriculum Integration Leaders

This ongoing curriculum revitalization project is being led by an interdisciplinary team including:

• Aaron Marshall, PhD, associate professor and medical education faculty for the UC College of Medicine
• Mladen Golubic, PhD, MD, medical director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC and UC Health Integrative Medicine
• Kelly Lyle, MHA, MS, education program director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC
• Sian Cotton, PhD, founding director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC and the Turner Farm Foundation Endowed Chair
• Heather Christenson, assistant dean, medical education, UC College of Medicine
• Stephanie White, EdD, culinary medicine director, Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC
• Past: Pamela Baker, PhD, associate dean of medical education of the UC College of Medicine, Bruce Giffin, PhD associate dean for medical education

Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, 
medical director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC and UC Health Integrative Medicine

Aaron Marshall, PhD,
associate professor and medical education faculty for the UC College of Medicine

Curriculum Integration Updates

2024 Update

The Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine for Everyone (LIME) curriculum integration project, led by Aaron Marshall, PhD, associate professor, and Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, medical director, began work to integrate a new longitudinal wellness thread into the medical school curriculum for 1st and 2nd year students focused on integrative and lifestyle medicine thanks to funding from the Weil Foundation. The first LIME Retreat was held on September 29, 2023, and brought together course directors, students, and staff to gather ideas and synergize the projects goal of advancing integrative and lifestyle medicine education and prevention for the next generation, position the UC College of Medicine as a leader in the field. Since, two of the newest medical student scholars in integrative health, Adam Beucler and Katie MacVittie, have been instrumental in creating early versions of LIME learning materials and contacting key stakeholders throughout the college, advocating for LIME curriculum incorporation.

2025 Update

The Lifestyle & Integrative Medicine for Everyone (LIME) curriculum integration project, led by Aaron Marshall, PhD, associate professor, and Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, medical director, continued to integrate the longitudinal wellness thread into the medical school curriculum. Last academic year (24-25) saw the implementation of the first-year student LIME curriculum, with positive responses/feedback from learners. That feedback will inform this academic year, with a revised first-year student curriculum and the inaugural rollout of the second-year curriculum. Three of the newest medical student scholars in integrative health (a program funded by Stephen T. Turner, MD, COM’75), Ria Jindal, Marcus Grewal, and Aadi Pallerla, have been instrumental in creating the second-year curriculum and analyzing first-year evaluation data.

2026 Update