Prof. Angela M. Johnson

Angela M. Johnson, Dipl OM, LAc, MSTOM, MPH - has been in the field of integrative medicine for almost 10 years. As a practitioner of Oriental medicine at Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, IL) Angela provides acupuncture and other Oriental medicine related techniques to help patients achieve optimal health and well-being. While she specializes in oncology, specifically helping patients through the side-effects of their conventional cancer treatments, she also provides care for people with a wide-range of chronic-health conditions.

In addition to direct patient care, Angela is involved in research to further the field of traditional Chinese medicine. She is currently co-investigator of a pilot study (N=90) exploring the role of acupuncture for pain management in pediatric patients. Patients between the ages of 5-20 who suffer from pain are eligible for enrollment. This work is being done in collaboration with Paul Kent, MD, and other pediatric practitioners at Rush, UIC Medical Center, Stroger, and Children’s Memorial Hospital. Additionally, she is serving as a consultant on a placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture to reduce HIV-associated inflammation. Angela has a passion for writing, and proud to have recently published a chapter in the textbook Pediatric Acute Care: A Guide for Interprofessional Practice. She also assisted in the revision of the complementary medicine chapter of an upcoming edition of the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Care for Children. In addition, she is co-author of a CE publication Complementary and Alternative Medicine Online Certificate Program. Holding advanced training from The Center for MindBody Medicine, Angela collaborated in the creation of a 5-week mindbody program for patients. She has been facilitating this program for patients and staff at Rush for 5 years. Knowing how important it is for her patients to be involved in their own healing, she will often incorporate practical tools such as breathing, meditation, and visualization in her treatments to further enhance relaxation and healing.

In the College of Nursing (CON), Angela has an appointment as an Assistant Professor. For 8 years, she has worked in close collaboration with several CON faculty members on two grants. The first was a $1.2 million dollar NCCAM funded grant to 1) integrate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) content into the baccalaureate and master's nursing programs, and 2) develop a CAM continuing education program for practicing nurses and other health care providers. The second grant she was involved with explored the role of mindfulness meditation training to reduce nursing errors in simulated nursing scenarios.

At Rush, Angela often lectures to medical staff and the community at large. She is a member of an interdisciplinary pain management team, and is working with the associate dean of the Rush Medical College, and other physicians, in the revision and facilitation of the complementary medicine curriculum for the Physicianship Program.