Grand Rounds: "Interdisciplinary Clinical Training in Herbal Medicine," Presented by Ra Adcock, DACM, LAc and Jenifer Matthews, MD
Robyn "Ra" Adcock, DACM, LAc, is the Director of Integrative Medicine at the UCSF Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative, and Integrative Medicine at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, where she works on the Integrated Pediatric Pain & Palliative (IP3) Care Team. She is developing one of the most robust pediatric acupuncture hospital programs in the country and currently serves as lead clinician for a 3-year, $3 million PCORI study assessing the efficacy of acupressure to relieve symptoms associated with cancer treatment—the largest traditional Chinese medicine pediatric oncology study ever conducted.
Dr. Adcock has helped develop several Chinese medicine and acupuncture programs at UCSF, including an internationally-recognized staff support program that provided 4,000 acupuncture treatments for 1,200 hospital staff members and a series of self-care Qigong classes. She also serves as Executive Director of the California State Oriental Medical Association (CSOMA), having previously served on their Board of Directors from 2014-2016. Additionally, she works as a professor for doctoral programs and medical schools and consults for integrative medical programs at hospitals and major medical centers.
Jenifer Matthews, MD, is the Associate Director of Education at the UCSF Osher Center and sees patients at Children's Hospital Oakland. With expertise in integrative medicine, she takes a holistic approach to patient care using modalities such as mind-body medicine, dietary supplements, and pediatric acupuncture, alongside traditional medications. Dr. Matthews has a special interest in caring for children and teens who need support to cope with anxiety, depression, or chronic pain. Her research focuses on implementing pediatric acupuncture and integrative medicine in caring for children who are underserved by traditional and complementary medical systems.
Dr. Matthews is deeply involved in medical education and structural competency training, including teaching and curriculum development. She currently teaches in various Osher Center programs, including the Integrative Health Equity and Applied Research predoctoral fellowship program and the Osher Collaborative Faculty Fellowship. She is an active member of Integrative Medicine for the Underserved, through which she advances integrative health equity and improves access to integrative health services for all children. Dr. Matthews earned her medical degree at UC Davis School of Medicine, completed her pediatrics residency at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, and completed the Integrative Medicine Scholars Program at the UCSF Osher Center.
Learning Objectives
- Analyze patterns of patient-driven herbal use and identify gaps in contemporary clinical practice.
- Compare national and international models of herbal medicine integration within academic medical centers and evaluate their applicability to institutional implementation strategies.
- Examine interprofessional approaches to herbal medicine integration and assess their role in ensuring safety, quality, and evidence-informed clinical use.
Identify opportunities within health professions education to strengthen herbal medicine training through innovative curricular development and experiential learning.
Zoom Link
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, the University of California, San Francisco Office of Continuing Medical Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
UCSF designates this live activity for a maximum of 10 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. The credit maximum above reflects all Osher Center for Integrative Health Grand Rounds sessions in Fiscal Year 2026. Up to 1 credit may be claimed against any individual session.
CE for Acupuncturists: This live activity is approved by the State of California Acupuncture Board for 1 hour of Category 1 CE course credit.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Planners: Shelley Adler, PhD, Selena Chan, DO; and Patty Moran, PhD, have no financial relationships to disclose.
Speakers: Jenifer Matthews, MD, and Ra Adcock, DACM, LAc, have no financial relationships to disclose.
