Project Title: An Innovative Touch: Piloting an Integrative Health Internship for Hands-On and Movement-Based Therapies

Integrative healthcare increasingly recognizes the value of massage therapy in whole-person care, addressing chronic pain, reducing stress, and enhancing overall well-being. However, training often lacks the depth necessary for effective integration into hospital settings, leading to a significant gap in workforce development. This project aims to fill this gap by piloting an innovative part-time internship program for massage therapists at University of Utah Health, lasting 200 hours over 3 to 6 months.

This program will stand out due to several key innovations.

1. The curriculum emphasizes essential, evidence-based skills for massage therapy in hospital settings, including therapeutic presence, pain neuroscience education, and trauma-informed care.
2. Interns will gain experience through varied clinical rotations, including inpatient, outpatient, acute rehabilitation, oncology, and orthopedic settings, providing a breadth of practical experience that is seldom seen in massage therapy training.
3. The program adopts a sustainable funding model where internship costs are partially offset by revenue generated from services provided by interns. This approach not only significantly reduces financial barriers to participation but also enhances accessibility. By prioritizing local access and fostering a broader impact, the program ensures that more individuals can benefit. This model prioritizes local access while fostering a broader impact.
4. The 200-hour internship offers a flexible pace, allowing completion within 3-6 months to accommodate diverse student schedules and commitments.
5. The project underscores collaboration and knowledge sharing. Dissemination to the Osher Collaborative will take place through a freely accessible, detailed toolkit (curriculum, schedules, evaluation tools, and materials) and a train-the-trainer program, supporting other Osher center's implementation of massage internships. This approach will have a lasting impact beyond the funding period by creating a replicable and translatable example.

Timeline: The project is set to begin in July-August 2025, focusing on curriculum finalization, securing clinical rotation agreements, and developing online learning modules. Intern recruitment will occur from August through October 2025. The 3–6-month part-time internship will be conducted from October 2025 to March 2026, with ongoing data collection and evaluation. The final development of the toolkit and train-the-trainer materials will start in April 2026, followed by the dissemination of resources to the Osher Collaborative in May 2026. The project will conclude in June 2026 with final data analysis, report writing, and project wrap-up.

Project leads:

• Ellen Maxfield - Project Lead (U of U Osher Center)
  • Ellen Maxfield, MSPH, CHES is a Clinical Instructor in Wellness and Integrative Health, and an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training. She has worked for Wellness and Integrative Health since 2013. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from College of Idaho and a Master of Science degree in Public Health from Western Illinois University. Ellen oversees the Utah National Diabetes Prevention Program and the daily operations of the L.S. Skaggs Patient Wellness Center. 
• Teri Josephson - Project Lead (U of U Osher Center)
  • Senior Massage Therapist - L.S Skaggs Patient Wellness Center and Neilsen Rehab Hospital.
• Benjamin Smith - Project Lead (U of U Osher Center affiliate, at Huntsman Cancer Institute)
  • Wellness Education, Research, and Training Coordinator at Huntsman Cancer Institute (UUHC/Osher Affiliate).

Budget Estimate:

• Curriculum Development: Creation of a new, evidence-based curriculum for interns. $8,500
• Internship Program Operations: Coordination of clinical rotations, scheduling, administrative support, program evaluation, and enhanced mentorship program. $5,500
• Instruction and precepting: Compensation for instructors and clinical preceptors. $7,000
• Deliverables for Osher Network: Development of a comprehensive toolkit (curriculum outlines, schedules, evaluation tools, sample materials) and materials for a train-the-trainer program (presentation slides, facilitator guide, participant handouts). $3,500
• Supplies and Software: Materials for interns, software licenses, and online platform fees. $500
• TOTAL: $25,000