This was a mail sent to me, I thought it was worth sharing both because of the event itself and what it represents within alternative medicine:

My dear colleagues,

I wanted to inform you of this module happening in Berkeley this coming week-end. The teacher is INCREDIBLE. I took his gastro-enterology course last month and it was just fabulous. Our alternative medicine training needs to be complemented by some western medicine knowledge and these modules do just that. Dr. Robinson is a clinician (he is a retired surgeon) and speaks from raw experience, rather than book knowledge. He is remarkably knowledgeable, articulate and funny. I can not say enough good things about him. This course is a pilot, and most students in the class are acupuncturists. It's a great way to network and see what standards our fellow acupuncturist are at and move towards those standards ourselves. Also, it allows us to learn to communicate with other healthcare professionals about our patients' cases. We should all the attendend these modules in my opinion... I will talk to Dr. Robinson and see if we, as ayurvedic practitioners, or other health care practitioners can also sit for the NBIMA exam (National Board of Internal Medicine for Acupuncturists) in which case, we would receive an internal medicine diploma after we attend all 12 modules and pass the exam. Something to look forward to.

Please, forward this to all who might be interested.

The cost of the module is $264 dollars. It's well worth it... Directions are info are at the bottom of this email.

Hope to see you there.


The upcoming internal medicine module is on women's health and infertility.


Dr. Robinson wrote:

Dear Colleagues,

I have prepared a series of informative lectures on this topic, and have
invited Claudia B. Wolfe to be the guest lecturer. She has devoted her
professional life to the TCM treatment of infertility, with phenomenal
results. I know you will get much out of this weekend.
I have attached the final program, including the directions to AIMC college
in Berkeley, where the training is now located. I also have other exciting
news to share with you at the module.
Sincerely,
Bruce Robinson
BruceHRobi@aol.com

Internal Medicine Board Certification Program

Module Seven: Breast Disease, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Infertility

August 6-8, 2004

Acupuncture and Integrated Medicine College, Berkeley

Dr. Bruce Robinson



This module on womens health will focus on important issues for acupuncturists, including infertility, painful menses, PMS, bleeding, fibroids, problems with pregnancy, breast cancer, and menopause. Our TCM guest lecturer will be Claudia B. Wolfe*, a licensed acupuncturist who has devoted her professional life to dealing with problems of infertility.

* Claudia graduated from the Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine, and has spent many years studying and practicing in Seoul, Korea, at Kung Hee University and also at the Cong Haul Fertility Hospital in Seoul, working with the world-famous fertility expert there, Dr. Kang.



Program

Friday, August 6th:

3 PM Lecture One: The physiology of the breast and lactation

4 PM Lecture Two: Nipple discharges, mastitis and breast abscesses

5 PM Lecture Three: Determining the nature of beast lumps: fibrocystic disease and fibroadenomas of the breast

6 PM Supper break

7 PM Lecture Four: Breast cancer, its treatment, and reconstructive surgery

Lecture Five: Anatomy and physiology of the female genital tract

Saturday, August 7th
8:30 AM Lecture Six: Painful intercourse and sexual problems

9 AM Lecture Seven: Dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

10 AM Lecture Eight: Abnormal premenopausal and post-menopausal bleeding

11 AM Lecture Nine: Vulvitis, vaginitis, cervicitis, and salpingitis

12 Noon Lunch break

1 PM Lecture Ten: Sexually transmitted diseases

2 PM Clinical scenarios

3 PM Clinical scenarios (continued)

4 PM Lecture Eleven: Uterine disease: fibroids; endometriosis

5 PM Lecture Twelve: Cancer of the female reproductive system

6 PM Lecture Thirteen: Menopause



Sunday August 8th

8:30 AM Lecture Fourteen: Conception, contraception

10:00 AM Guest Lecturer on TCM treatment of infertility: Claudia B. Wolfe

11:00 AM Guest lecturer (continued)

12:00 Noon Lunch break

1:00 PM Lecture Fifteen: Infertility and fertility enhancement

2:00 PM Lecture Sixteen: Pregnancy and prenatal care

3:00 PM Clinical scenarios

3:30 PM Clinical scenarios and wrap-up of module



*Classes begin at 3 PM, Friday, at the new location for the training program: The Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College (AIMC), 2550 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704, Directions: go north on interstate 80 from the bay bridge as if going to Sacramento. Take the University Ave. exit and go east toward the Berkeley foothills until you reach Shattuck Ave. (2-3 miles). Turn right on Shattuck Ave. and travel south about a mile to the college, which is on your right (the major cross street is Blake).



Cost of the three-day 22 hour program is $264. Checks should be written payable to Integrated Medical Solutions, You may send a check to Bruce Robinson at 8394 Willowpark Drive, Boise, ID, 83714. You can also pay online at www.intmedsol.org. There is detailed information at this website about the year-long board certification program. You are encouraged to send email inquiries to brucehrobi@aol.com.