CITCM > Faculty

Our faculty members has chief instructors as Ph. D degree holders in acupuncture and TCM with extensive teaching, clinical and research experiences, and are joined with a diversity of health care practitioners such as physicians, naturopath, dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists who loves teaching and have a holistic and integrated approach towards their practice.

Dr. Cheng earned her Bachelor's Degree in TCM and Western Medicine in 1983 from the Hunan College of TCM, China. She did further study at Tianjin College of TCM, China culminating in 1987 with a Master's Degree in Medicine and Acupuncture. In 1990, she received her Ph.D in Medicine from the Chengdu College of TCM, China with a specialty in Acupuncture and Chronomedicine.

Dr. Cheng has 20 years of clinical experience as a physician, herbalist and acupuncturist. She has been a professor at several colleges as well as instructing foreign students in China. She has translated several publications and is a published author of several TCM works. She is currently the Director of the BodyMind Synergy Health Centre, a member of several professional association boards and Vice-President for the Alberta Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctors. Dr. Cheng is an active participant in the process of regulating TCM in Alberta. She also teaches courses on TCM to medical professionals and offers public education workshops on TCM. In September 2004 her long-time dream of opening a school of TCM was realised with the opening of CITCM, which she is proud to be the director of.

Emptiness sharpens one's intelligence
Serenity leads one to advance further

Dr. Yi Fu Visiting Professor D.T.C.M., Ph.D. Medicine

Dr. Fu earned his doctor degree of TCM in 2005 from the Chengdu TCM University with a specialty in acupuncture. Dr. Fu also practices wrist and ankle acupuncture, massage and reflexology. Dr. Fu has 6 years clinical experiences as a physician and acupuncturist and also is a board member of Sichuan Reflective Association. He is experienced in teaching TCM students in China and from overseas and has earned wide acclaim in his field.

Dr. Fu also followed several famous doctors, one of whom is the descendant of the imperial doctor of the Qing Dynasty and now he is very experienced in treating rheumatism, facial paralysis, cervical and lumber problems, frozen shoulder, insomnia, disordered menstruation and acne.

Dr. Fu has 23 years experiences of Chinese calligraphy and 10 years experiences of Buddhism and meditation (Dhyana).

Imran Khaliq, M.D., M.B.B.S.

Dr. Imran Khaliq earned his bachelor of medicine/bachelor of surgery in 1989 at the University of Karachi (Sindh Medical College) and is currently working toward his masters and Ph.D. in medical education at the University of Calgary. He was also an associate eye surgeon at the Maqbool Eye Clinic in Karachi, Pakistan for 7 years.
Dr. Khaliq is a dedicated professional surgeon and a teacher with more than 6 years experience as a teacher and coordinator in the department of anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, pathology and basic medical sciences. He is also involved in research-oriented studies in the field of Anatomy and Physiology/Pharmacology in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences.

Kelly Plaku, B.Sc., M.Sc. candidate

Kelly received her Bachelor of Science degree in 2004 from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON with a double major in biology and pharmacology. Her experience included co-operative work terms in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as a one term in an academic laboratory at the University of Calgary. Immediately after graduation, she moved to Calgary permanently and began a Master of Science degree in the department of medical sciences, and anticipates graduating in the spring of 2007.

In the fall of 2006 Kelly started working with BodyMind Nutrition in Calgary, AB and began formal certification as a nutritionist. Her responsibilities include re-structuring the certification process, acting as a course instructor and editing the 2006 edition of the certification manual.

Gayle Heath, N.D.

Dr. Heath studied Biochemistry at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg for four years before being accepted into the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto for Canada's only accredited four year naturopathic medical program. She has completed advanced training in intravenous therapies, reiki, muscle response testing, and facial rejuvenation acupuncture. She also does talks at public schools, women's groups and corporations on health topics. Dr. Heath is a licensed member of the Alberta Association of Naturopathic Practitioners and the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors with offices in Okotoks and Calgary.

Tracy Quayat, B.A.

Tracy earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the University of Calgary in 2005. Her major focuses while earning this degree included Abnormal Psychopathology, Childhood Development and Biological Sciences.

Tracy has been a member of the Alberta Debate and Speech Association; representing our province in various public speaking tournaments. She has recently returned from a year abroad, teaching English in various institutes in Seoul, South Korea. Tracy is currently preparing to pursue her Master’s Degree at the University of Alberta.

Jannette Hurley, M.D.

Janette Hurley was born in Grenada, West Indies and received her post-secondary education and medical school training at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1981, she moved to Calgary, Alberta where she began her residency at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine. While at the University, Dr. Hurley received her Resident I and II postgraduate training in Internal Medicine, as well as her training as a Family Medicine resident. Over the years, Dr. Hurley has expanded her medical horizons to include homeopathy in the way she practices medicine. She is currently taking a distance course from Glasgow, Scotland on the Foundations of Homeopathy, and has participated in numerous other Homeopathic courses.

In her career as a family physician she has a particular passion for women's issues, with a focus toward the issues faced by immigrant women. Dr. Hurley has participated in the Women's Health Design Committee at the Calgary Health Region and has been a physician member of the Calgary Sexual Assault Response Team and the Maternal Newborn Committee. She is Co-chair of the Culture Health and Wellness Medical Curriculum and also the Chair of the Family and Human Development both in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, at the Faculty of Medicine. In 2001 and 2003, Dr. Hurley was recognized for her unwavering work by receiving the Gold Star Award for Teaching Excellence. In 2001 she was named as one of the Calgary Immigrant Women's Association Champions. Dr Hurley is a member of Diversity Calgary Leadership Council.

Dr. Hurley is also an expert in the area of lactation having completed numerous continuing education programs and becoming a Lactation Consultant for women across Calgary. She is avidly involved in several breastfeeding organizations and her family practice incorporates Women's Health Issues, with an obstetrical practice and Lactation Clinic.

Currently, Dr. Hurley is a staff physician at the Integrative Medicine Institute of Canada in Calgary, an innovative family practice with strong emphasis on a Holistic and Integrative approach to care. She is also a Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine. Dr Hurley finds immense joy in practicing Integrative Medicine and seeing the positive results of this work in people's lives.

Karen L McInnis, B.Sc., R.Ac., R.R.T.

Karen received her B. Sc. from the University of Calgary in 1985. She completed further training earning a Respiratory Therapy Diploma from SAIT in 1990 for which she received the Louise McKinney Post-Secondary Scholarship for exceptional academic achievement. She also received the Trudell Award for outstanding academic performance in respiratory therapy. She has completed a course in CNS sleep diagnosis and equipment training in 1995 and in 1996 graduated with honours with a Canadian Institute of Management Certificate. Most recently she attained an Acupuncture Diploma from the Alberta College of Acupuncture and TCM (honours) in 2002.

Karen McInnis has been working in health care for the past 12 years, first as a Respiratory Therapist and more recently as a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She graduated at the top of her class in both programs. Her love of travel and desire to learn more about Chinese Medicine led her to complete her clinical training of TCM in China. In addition to her clinical work, Karen practices and teaches Taoist Tai Chi and lectures to various groups on the health benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Wei He, MD. (China)

Dr. Wei He graduated from Harbin Medical University where he received a M.D degree in Western medicine and got acupuncture training also at this University. After graduation, He worked in the department of general surgery in the Provincial Hospital of Hei Long Jiang in China. He then commenced work in the department of orthopedics and became an orthopedic surgeon. He also became involved in a number of research projects on integrated medicine raging from orthopedics to internal medicine, when he worked in Department of integration of TCM with West medicine from Sep.1997 to beginning of 2000 year. Dr. He came to Canada in 2000 and practice acupuncture and Chinese Medicine with rich clinical experiences.

Jackie St. George-Rennie, B.M.R. (P.T.), C.M.Ac.

Jackie has extensive training in physiotherapy and acupuncture. She holds a Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy in 1979 from the University of Manitoba. She received her Post Graduate Diploma in Sport Physiotherapy in 1986 and continued to her professional development with various manual therapy courses. She became a Certified Level 1 Acupuncturist, A.F.C.I in 2000 and in 2002 she completed Level 2 Acupuncture Courses (T.C.M), A.F.C.I. In 2003 she received her Certificate in Medical Acupuncture from the University of Alberta and has continued to pursue further knowledge of Acupuncture through various professional development courses.

Jackie has been a practicing physiotherapist for over 20 years. She is the former owner and director of the Calgary Winter Club from 1992 to 2000 where she still practices. Jackie has previously been a member of many professional boards dealing with sport medicine and is currently a member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Jackie also brings many years of experience teaching Injury Prevention programs and is a Certified Instructor for Sport Physiotherapy Canada. She has been a member of several major games medical teams and a former consultant to Calgary Television for local fitness programs.

"When you embrace learning with a positive mind and an open heart, you will experience life long benefits."

Dr. Wen-Qi Wang, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Wen-Qi Wang graduated from Xi'an Medical University, China, in 1982. He gained clinical experience in both Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine before earning his Master's degree from the same University in September 1986. He then went to Sweden in 1988 to continue his education in Medicine. During this time, he published more than 10 scientific papers in Medicine and received a Ph. D. in Medical Biochemistry 1996, from the University of Lund in Sweden.

He moved to Canada in 1996 as a Post doctorate in the Lipid Group at the University of Alberta. He has worked in a neutrotheutical company in 2001 in Red Deer Alberta as senior Scientist where he was responsible for the development of health food. In 2002, he established The Bethune Oriental Medicine Center where he currently serves as the General Manager. His clinical practice includes Traditional Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong/Tui Na therapy, North American herbal therapy, aromatherapy and hypnosis therapy. It also offers seminars and workshops on herbal therapy, Qi Gong therapy and various other kinds of alternative medicine. It is now the distributor of one of the major TCM journals in China, learning software on TCM and is also developing a market for distribution of various health-care instruments in North America. Dr. Wen-Qi Wang has an extensive body of published work as well as given lectures on TCM and Western Medicine.

Dr. Wen-Qi Wang is a very open minded scientist and has broad interest in alternative medicine. He believes that western laboratory medicine, Traditional Chinese evidence-proven medicine, as well as Energy Medicine (such as Qigong, Yoga), and Spiritual Medicine (religious practice) are all valid medical systems. He encourages his staff to explore the potential of each medical system in order to reach the maximum clinical healing benefit.

Dr. Craig W. Young, B.Sc., D.D.S., C.M.Ac.

Dr. Craig Young is a dentist with a unique approach to healing. He has integrated high tech modern dentistry with concepts of functional medicine, and various forms of natural healing. He is also an acupuncturist, and has been trained in Reiki and Body Talk among other forms of complimentary and alternative medicine health care modalities.

He graduated from the University of Alberta's certificate program of medical acupuncture in 1997 and has actively pursued further knowledge in the field of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine with an intensity that rivals his dental activity.

Dr. Young's dental professional development has taken him to international destinations typically spending over 20 hours per month in his pursuit of current dental knowledge. He is a member of the International Academy of Gnathology, the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, and has had the pleasure of studying with some of the world's foremost experts in the field. With 16 years of clinical experience in integrated dental concepts, the utilization of Acupuncture and TCM has become a critical component in his clinic's management of Temporo-mandibular Joint dysfunction, chronic pain, bioesthetic dental rehabilitation and dental material sensitivity revision.

Dr. Young's practice is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Lars Gustafsson

Born in east India to Canadian parents, Lars spent his childhood living an authentic mix of tribal and western life. This upbringing created a balance between the scientific passion of the west and the ancient wisdom of the Far East.

Lars has 21 years experience developing and coaching nutrition, lifestyle, fitness, and personal development programs. In 2002, Lars founded The BodyMind Nutrition System to encapsulate the principles of nutrition that connect the physical and mental-emotional-spiritual realms. The BodyMind Nutrition Certification program was introduced in 2003. This program has created the opportunity for people to personally discover and pass on a nutrition process that creates freedom of Body, Mind and Spirit. Lars is very pleased to have the opportunity to share his nutrition approach with CITCM students.

Dr. Danny Thomas B.Sc., D.M.S., H.D.

Dr. Thomas graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Biochemistry after which he was selected for a research grant at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences at the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. After completing his research studies on the prevention of restenosis in patients with balloon angioplasty, Dr. Thomas pursed study in the field of Homoeopathy. Dr. Thomas completed a 4 year degree in Homoeopathic Medical Sciences at Dr. Nielsen's Homoeopathic Medical Education & Research College in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He then extended his training during a 4 month internship at Vinayaka Missions Homeopathic College in Salem, India His overall training includes study in the fields of Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Surgery and Forensic Medicine. He completed his degree with the publication of his thesis: "A Homoeopathic Therapuetic Evaluation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Ulcerative Colitis & Crohn's Disease"

In addition to teaching at CITCM, Dr. Thomas works full time at Alberta Homoeopathic Medical Clinic, his private, Homoeopathic clinic located in St. Albert, Alberta. He serves patients in various communities including Edmonton, Fort McMurray, High Prairie, Winnipeg and various U.S. locations. Dr. Thomas has valuable experience in treating patients with acute and chronic conditions using the most safe, gentle and effective manner possible. Dr. Thomas is a member of both the Homoeopathic Medical Council of Canada and the Canadian Coalition for Homoeopathic Medicine and strives to provide the utmost quality of care in meeting patients' health care, nutritional and lifestyle needs by offering various complete detoxification & metabolism regulation treatment plans in addition to various other treatment protocols.

Frank J. Wen, MSc. Eng, IES

Frank received his B.Eng. from Tsinghua University, China in 1992, a MSc. in Engineering Management from University of Alberta in 2003. He was the recipient of the National Invention Award from Tsinghua University, the Gold Award by Singapore Productivity & Standards Board and the Natural Science & Engineering Research Council Scholarship of Canada.

Frank has been working in China, Singapore and Canada involving into different fields such as negotiation with fortune 500 executives to introduce investment into Beijing Shangdi Information Industry Base; consulting and managing projects in Singapore; leading the development and marketing of artificial intelligence software as well as commercial websites; mandarin and English interpretation for USA and South East Asia Zen monks, etc. He is a partner of KarmaGrid Consulting Group. Its clients include Merrill Lynch, UPS, Shanghai Pudong Municipal Government, etc. As a spiritual human being, Frank has been searching the truth in Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism, and has been practicing Zen meditation for 20 years.

"The whole world is a single flower".