Kalinda Marshall, MPH, BSN, RN, is the Clinic Practice Manager at the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University. Marshall is trained as a chemotherapy/biotherapy registered nurse, and before coming to the Osher Center in 2021, she served as Lead Nurse for the Gynecological Oncology Division at the Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago. 

Marshall doesn’t see her role in clinic operations as a departure from nursing, but rather incorporates her nursing skills into everything she does. “You never stop being a nurse – there is just a different set of problems to solve that require the same critical thinking skills,” she said. “Also, a huge part of my job is thinking about what patients are getting out of each visit and how we can make it better.”

The Northwestern University Osher Center clinic uses a primary care rather than a consultative model. All primary care providers are trained in integrative medicine and can refer patients to specialists such as massage therapists, chiropractors, dieticians, and health psychiatrists. The clinic also has contracted services such as yoga, aerobics, and other public classes.

Marshall enjoys the fast-paced, unpredictable nature of clinic operations. “Each day is like a puzzle to figure out how to keep our staff and clinicians motivated, excited, and engaged, while always looking for new ways to improve the patient experience.”

For Marshall, the Collaborative is an invaluable network of support for managing the unique challenges of integrative health clinic operations. “Having the opportunity to share resources and reach out to colleagues at other Osher Centers to see how they handle a challenge has been so helpful. We have so much to learn from each other,” she said. “Plus, when I onboard new clinicians, I can introduce them to a large network of people doing similar work around the country. This established infrastructure of support and camaraderie makes a big difference.”