June 24, 2016
Greetings fellow DIFM dietitians, DTR’s and students! I am honored and excited to be your incoming chair for 2016-2017.
We have an incredibly dynamic leadership team and some lofty goals this year. Our practice area is gaining a lot of attention and momentum in mainstream medicine as consumers are demanding their healthcare providers know about integrative and functional practices.
As a member of DIFM you are on the cutting edge of this movement and your DIFM leaders are working hard to make sure you are prepared to meet this demand. I have been a member of DIFM from the early years of its inception – back when it was Nutrition In Complementary Care. When we first started out, we were met with skepticism. This skepticism has progressed to acceptance and now we are sought after leaders and trend setters – being called upon to write position papers, speak at national conferences, support the Academy in its 3rd Integrative and Functional educational track at FNCE, help goal set for the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and by providing input for the US Dietary Guidelines Committee.
We have so many incredible projects going on this year to help us expand and enhance our practice area. To name a few, we are working on updating our Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy (IFMNT). We are working with the Dietetics Based Practice Network on a Role Delineation study to help define the practice of IFMNT so that we can help other dietitians and healthcare providers understand what we do and how we practice. We have monthly educational webinars with experts from across the country, and have started a monthly webinar based mentoring program.
We are continuing with our Connecting Educators program to help increase IFMNT in dietetic programs and we are starting an expert database and speakers bureau so that we can help connect our member experts with writing and speaking opportunities around the country.
As a member of DIFM you are supporting and benefiting from these efforts. Here are a few more benefits of membership:
The DIFM website and blog is the hub for all things DIFM. On our site you can find research and educational opportunities on timely topics including functional laboratory testing, dietary supplements, and other integrative modalities. You can also read timely articles, reviews and recipes on this blog!
- DIFM motion graphics video: Our team created a video to highlight who DIFM is related to our vision, mission and what an Integrative RDN does. We are proud to share this video with you, our members, colleagues, other health-care professionals, as well as our own clients and patients. If you would like to showcase the video on your website please contact our member services chair, Jacqueline Zimmerman jacq.zimmerman@gmail.com to obtain a release form.
- The Integrative RDN Newsletter: a favorite DIFM member benefit which features articles and news by you, our members, as well as guest authors. We publish newsletters quarterly and include CPE articles twice per year. Newsletter archives are housed here under the members only tab.
- Webinars: Monthly webinars for DIFM members, many offering CPE units on timely topics relevant to integrative and functional nutrition.
- Natural Medicines Database: Unlimited access to the premiere, evidence-based, and peer-reviewed database on natural medicine and dietary supplements. You may log into the database directly from the website after logging in.
- Full Text Integrative Health Journals: We are thrilled to offer FREE digital subscriptions to three, integrative health journals- Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, and Advances in Mind Body Medicine- a $193 value- free for DIFM Members! In addition, Innovision Publishing will offer you the opportunity to purchase print subscriptions at $20.00/publication or a package rate of $50.00 for all three journals.
- A new, updated Find an Integrative RDN database is currently under construction to enhance member presence. DIFM is responding to the increasing demand for dietitians who are skilled in integrative and functional medicine. An interested patient, physician, or other health care practitioner can search by state to find DIFM Members in their area who can provide integrative and functional nutrition therapy.
- Networks and Partnerships: DIFM offers exclusive educational opportunities, such as webinars, conference discounts, and memberships with our Network partners. This includes opportunities offered by The Center for Mind Body Medicine (CMBM), Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), American Botanical Council, the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, the International Society of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics (ISNN), University of Kansas Medical Center Dietetics and Nutrition and Integrative Medicine departments and the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP). Please check out the Networks and Sponsors page for these opportunities.
- Annual Events: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®) is in Boston, MA this year, October 15-18, 2016. We hope you will be able to join us for our one-day Symposium, Dietary Supplements, an Integrative and Functional Approach on Saturday, October 15th. Registration will open at the end of June. On Sunday October 16th we will also host our annual Mind Body Happy Hour, a free reception for DIFM members.
- DIFM e-blasts: DIFM news straight to your inbox! Receive important information and updates via DIFM e-blasts. This is how we keep you in-the-know on upcoming webinars, discounts to seminars, important legislative action items and more.
- DIFM Electronic Mailing List (EML): This member discussion forum is your opportunity to network, learn from and share with your DIFM colleagues. You will receive an invitation to join the Yahoo Group via email, or you may sign up by following the instructions here.
- Awards and Stipends: DIFM offers financial awards offered annually to interested and qualified members, including student members: The Excellence in Practice Award, Excellence in Service Award, the Outstanding Student Award, The Visionary Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award. DIFM also offers stipends to attend integrative and functional medicine events.
- Member Directory: Your connection to other DIFM members, listed by state.
Additional member benefits include our Member Products Shop, a DIFM blog, Twitter feed, and Facebook page, educational fact sheets, coaching and mentoring webinar series, the connecting educators program and a few projects currently being developed: speakers bureau, expert database, and a mentoring program.
Many volunteer opportunities exist, including elected positions, appointed positions, and volunteers for working groups and committees to utilize your special skills to help out with a long term or short-term projects. We welcome your interest, ideas and involvement! You may sign up to volunteer here.
As you can see, we are an active group that is committed to advancing the practice of integrative and functional nutrition. We are excited that you have joined our DPG and look forward to a great year!
In health,
Kelly Morrow MS, RDN
Chair, DIFM DPG 2016-2017