News
Indus hosts annual talent show. P. 5A
Sports
Opinion Discussing the ‘Tinder’ app P. 8A
Royals back in action at ‘The K’ P. 2B
UNIVERSITY NEWS UMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper
Volume 81, Issue 26
Tuesday April 8, 2014
Popularity of integrative medicine on the rise Patrick Quick Staff Writer
Many schools of medicine across the country already offer degrees in integrative medicine, and UMKC may follow suit. Since 1992 UMKC has offered several courses in the emerging field of integrative medicine, also known as holistic or alternative medicine. The field has risen in popularity in recent years. “Many students have requested we do more in-depth classes on some of the more popular modalities,” said Dr. Judy Hileman, assistant clinical professor at UMKC’s School of Medicine. Hileman is one of several professors who teach holistic medicine at UMKC. Over the years Hileman and several other faculty members who specialize in the field have developed four classes on the subject, all worth
one credit hour each. “Most of it [integrative medicine] is ancient knowledge that the East has tested, developed and known for thousands of years,” Hileman said. Integrative medicine can include any eastern-influenced or holistic health practice such as yoga, acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal plants, Ayurveda and more. Many of these practices are rooted in ancient Chinese and Vedic cultures as a complement to spiritual practice and daily life. In the East, these techniques are still practiced regularly and are viewed as common and effective treatments. Here in the West, however, these ancient practices are still relatively new to the medical community. In the early 1990s, the National Institutes of Health began to look into more holistic approaches to medicine. In 1991, the NIH established the Complementary and Alternative Medicine program
which specializes in holistic and alternative medicine research. Although the federal government acknowledges this particular field of medicine, Hileman said that the term “integrative” has only recently been adopted by the Western medical community. “The [semantics] of the name changes sort of tell the story of how professionals and the public have changed their views about natural ways of healing over the years,” Hileman said. Originally labeled as alternative medicine, Hileman said the term led patients and doctors to believe that it was a complete replacement of all contemporary Western medical practices. This idea deterred many people from trying integrative treatments. Later, the practice was dubbed complementary medicine, implying that it was more of a supplement to Western medical practices rather
than a replacement. In most recent years, the practice has been called integrative medicine because of the medical and cultural integration of ancient Eastern medicine and contemporary Western medicine. Today, Hileman said nearly all schools of medicine around the nation — including the University of Kansas — offer some type of degree for integrative medicine or similar practices. When Hileman first began teaching holistic medicine at UMKC, the class was offered as a single, three credit hour course, and only seven students were enrolled. Since then, her curriculum has expanded into four separate one credit hour classes, with more than 200 students enrolled each semester. Hileman expects this trend to continue. “With the advent of resistance to antibiotics we are trying to get
away from antibiotics being the first line of defense when someone is ill, especially in children,” Hileman said. “All healthcare providers try to teach this to their clients, friends and families.” Recent changes in the nation’s healthcare system and shifting Western attitudes towards medicine might be some of the reasons these practices are continuing to gain popularity. “I think when we went through our scientific revolution we decided everything had to be scientifically proven,” Hileman said. “If it works, it works.” Currently UMKC has no plans to develop a degree program for integrative medicine. If demand for these types of classes continues to rise, however, the School of Medicine may have to accommodate this emerging field. pquick@unews.com
From the Editor’s Desk:
We brought Kasey into this world, we can pretend to take him out Roze Brooks Editor-in-Chief
Fool’s Day joke from a broader perspective, it’s empowering to think that the student body and the In case you’re still wondering faculty and staff at UMKC would be about last week’s cover story, or if able to unite over something that has your best friend has spent the past become a long-running staple for this week convincing you that UMKC institution. An abundance of school is transitioning to an oversized spirit could easily be created around rainforest creature - rest assured the mere threat of losing a symbol Kasey the Kangaroo is here to stay. that has been with the University Creating Penelope the Pygmy from almost the very beginning. Hippo, and detailing the slow decline of our esteemed marsupial Kasey the Kangaroo is rich with as a result, was entertaining for our history that outmatches that of other editorial staff. We were pleased to university figureheads. see an influx of responses to the In fact, the University News stories ranging from “is this a joke?” played a hand in the conception to “you got me, good job.” of this legendary mascot. In 1936, What’s more is the number just three years after the founding of responses vocalizing either of what was then the University of optimism or pure dismay over the Kansas City, editors of the student sheer concept of renegotiating the newspaper insisted on picking a University mascot. mascot of the school’s debate team. One professor’s immediate What I’m sure the editorial team remarks upon seeing the front cover didn’t anticipate at the time was posed the question “Don’t we have how much they would luck out in better things to worry about?” Yes, getting an official image for their yes we do. newly appointed kangaroo. Walt Assessing this harmless April Disney himself, Kansas City native
who happened to occupy a studio near campus at the time, designed the original graphic for Kasey. And Disney was already a recognized name at this point. He had one Academy Award under his belt for the creation of Mickey Mouse, but after some coaxing from old elementary school friends and UKC students, he put pen to paper and the mascot we know today emerged. Conveniently the Kansas City Zoo was also boasting two baby kangaroos that became a big hype across the city. It seems it was almost inevitable that this search for the University’s official mascot would result in Kasey. UMKC is one of two universities in the country to claim the kangaroo as its official mascot. The other is Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Kasey is here to stay! rbrooks@unews.com
Illustration // Joey Hill