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  • SCU Research Published: Breaking Barriers in Integrative Health Collaboration

SCU Research Published: Breaking Barriers in Integrative Health Collaboration

 

 

Research from Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is paving the way for stronger ties between small integrative health institutions and leading research universities. The study, a collaboration between faculty from SCU and six other institutions, highlights how these partnerships can reshape healthcare and research.

Published in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, the article “Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis of Institutional Research Partnerships in Complementary and Integrative Health: Identifying Barriers and Facilitators” dives into the strengths and challenges of these collaborations.

The study surveyed researchers from five fields of integrative health—acupuncture, chiropractic medicine, massage therapy, naturopathy, and yoga. It found:

  • 38% of projects began with targeted funding.
  • Over 60% included educational and faculty development programs.
  • Partnerships boost research innovation, professional growth, and integration of holistic health into mainstream care.

“These partnerships can be a win-win-win,” said SCU’s Research Director, Dr. Steffany Moonaz, PhD, a co-author of the paper. “R1 institutions benefit from the clinical expertise that schools like SCU can offer, while our schools gain access to the resources of the R1. And lastly, the public benefits from more clinically relevant and better resourced integrative health research that we can conduct through these partnerships.”


Advancing Clinical Education in Integrative Health

At schools like SCU and MUIH that train integrative health clinicians, we need tools to ensure that our students are equipped with the skills of health literacy and evidence-based practice to provide state-of-the-art care in our fields,” said Dr. Moonaz. “The development of this tool allows us to evaluate these skills in a way that was previously only available for conventional medical students. This is an important step forward for advancing clinical education in integrative health fields.”

 

Moving Healthcare Forward

The study shows how integrative health collaborations can:

  • Create better tools for studying alternative therapies.
  • Foster a whole-person approach to health.
  • Strengthen both small and large institutions.

 

About Dr. Steffany Moonaz

Dr. Moonaz is SCU’s Research Director, with over 40 peer-reviewed publications and multiple research awards. Her work, supported by the NIH and other major institutions, focuses on evidence-based integrative health practices. SCU remains committed to advancing integrative health research and creating innovative solutions for a healthier future.

 

Learn More

Discover more about Southern California University of Health Sciences at scuhs.edu and SCU Clinical and Health Services Research at scuhs.edu/chsr.

 

About Southern California University of Health Sciences

Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is one of the world’s only integrative, whole health universities—teaching students to blend the best of conventional medicine with proven complementary approaches, and to treat the whole person (body, mind, and spirit). Founded in 1911, SCU has been challenging convention and pushing healthcare forward for more than 100 years. Today, the institution offers graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs in a wide range of disciplines, including Chiropractic, Sports Medicine, Physical & Occupational Therapy, Genetic Counseling, Genetics & Genomics, Medical Science, Physician Assistant, Ayurveda, Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine, Whole Health Leadership, and beyond. Learn more at scuhs.edu.

 

 

 

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