ACLM names 2026 students dedicated to increasing entry to way of life medication

Since 2021, ACLM has offered 110 underrepresented in medication (UIM) clinicians and public well being leaders with coaching and certification in way of life medication at no-cost, main the cost to diversify the approach to life medication workforce.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has introduced the recipients of its 2026 Health Equity Achieved via Lifestyle Medicine (HEAL) Initiative scholarships. The 10 students symbolize a distinguished cohort of healthcare professionals dedicated to increasing entry to evidence-based way of life medication in traditionally underserved communities. The scholarship program displays ACLM’s dedication to making sure that the fastest-growing medical specialty is consultant of the various populations most impacted by power illness.

Lifestyle medication is a medical specialty that makes use of therapeutic way of life interventions as a major therapy modality to deal with, reverse, and forestall power illness. Grounded in six evidence-based pillars, together with optimum vitamin, bodily exercise, restorative sleep, stress administration, connectedness, and avoidance of dangerous substances, way of life medication offers a strong framework for addressing the foundation causes of power illness whereas advancing well being fairness.

Since its launch in 2020, the HEAL Initiative has been creating pathways for clinicians and public well being professionals from underrepresented backgrounds to entry way of life medication training, certification, and management improvement alternatives. Today, the HEAL group includes greater than 1,400 professionals who leverage the Community-Engaged Lifestyle Medicine (CELM) framework to enhance well being outcomes for communities which are traditionally medically underserved and under-resourced.

ACLM’s HEAL Initiative Scholarship program launched in 2021 and has awarded greater than 100 clinicians and public well being professionals with coaching and board certification in way of life medication—an funding of practically $400,000. The scholarship is designed to take away monetary obstacles that may stop UIM clinicians from pursuing superior coaching in way of life medication. Each scholar receives a one-year ACLM membership, registration to ACLM’s annual conference, the “Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review” course, and protection of American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (ABLM) examination and certification charges, a price of as much as $4,295 per scholar.

“Beyond financial support, the scholarship creates a pathway to mentorship, professional networking, leadership development, and specialty certification,” mentioned ACLM Director of Community Health Stacia Johnston. “By investing in clinicians serving under-resourced populations, ACLM is helping build local capacity for chronic disease prevention and treatment while expanding the reach of lifestyle medicine in communities that have historically faced barriers to healthcare access.”

Communities experiencing the best burden of power illness typically have the least entry to clinicians who share their cultural backgrounds and might ship care that’s each evidence-based and culturally responsive. The HEAL Initiative Scholarship helps mitigate this barrier to make sure communities of coloration, rural populations, and different traditionally under-resourced teams have an expanded pool of suppliers who perceive their lived experiences. While these teams proceed to face disproportionately excessive charges of diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, weight problems, and different power situations, ACLM is dedicated to methods that tackle these disparities and be sure that all sufferers have entry to clinicians who perceive their distinctive experiences and challenges.

A cornerstone of the initiative’s success has been ACLM’s dedication to constructing strategic partnerships with organizations which are deeply embedded in underserved communities. Through collaborations with organizations such because the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), National Medical Association (NMA), and the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), ACLM promotes HEAL scholarship alternatives on to clinicians training on the entrance traces of care in communities disproportionately affected by power illness. These partnerships assist be sure that this system reaches healthcare professionals already serving high-need affected person populations and creates pathways for them to implement way of life medication interventions.

The 2026 HEAL Initiative Scholars are: 

Adalys E. Díaz, LAc, DiplOM
Díaz Acupuncture & Integrative Health
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Jamal Jarrett, MD, MPH,
Atrium Health
Charlotte, N.C.

Maili Velez-Dalla Tor, MD, FAAFP, DipABOM,
Emanate Health
West Covina, Calif. 

Catalina Alain, DNP, FNP-BC, AAHIVS
Florida State University
Orlando, Fla.

Kathleen Christophe, MD, MPH, NBC-HWC
Health Advocate
Oakhurst, N.J.

Martine Altieri, PA-C, MHSc
My Cardiologist/CVAUSA
Boca Raton, Fla.

Alejandra Cabral, FNP-BC
TrueCare
San Marcos, Calif. 

Ivan N. Zama, MD, FAAHPM
University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center
Largo, Maryland

Otoniel Santiago, RDN, LD
Suvida Healthcare
Dallas, Texas 

Gina Becerra, MS, RDN
Borinquen Medical Centers
Miami, Fla. 

About ACLM®
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the nation’s medical skilled society constructing the infrastructure to scale way of life medication as the brand new normal of care. ACLM interprets evidence-based way of life interventions into training, certification, and implementation, equipping physicians, healthcare professionals, and programs of care to deal with the foundation causes of power illness. Since 2004, ACLM has educated greater than 100,000 well being professionals and made greater than 1.75 million hours of accredited persevering with training accessible via programs and conferences for physicians and well being professionals. With lots of of institutional companions worldwide, ACLM helps healthcare transfer from a system designed to handle illness to at least one able to restoring well being.

SOURCE American College of Lifestyle Medicine