Greg Plotnikoff, MD MTS FACP, Center for Spirituality and Healing, Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota
Position: Medical Director, Institute for Health and Healing, Abbott-Northwestern Hospital; Associate Professor, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Organization: Center for Spirituality & Healing
Office Address
Institute for Health and Healing, Abbot Northwestern Hospital
Mail Route 11404
800 E. 28th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407-3799
Home Address
<Information Not Provided>
Office Phone: 612-863-6274
Home Phone: <Information Not Provided>
Mobile Phone: <Information Not Provided>
Email Address: plotn002@umn.edu
Educational Background
Dr. Plotnikoff received his master's degree in Theological Studies and completed the Youville Hospital Chaplaincy Training Program at Harvard Divinity School in 1985. He earned his medical degree in 1989 at the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed his internal medicine and pediatrics residency there in 1993. As a Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow, he received additional graduate level training in Kampo medicine, medical acupuncture, and the organic chemistry of secondary-plant metabolites.
Brief Biography
Dr. Plotnikoff is an associate professor of clinical medicine and pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School. There, he co-chaired the task force that led to the establishment of the Center for Spirituality and Healing. He served as its first medical director from 1997-2002. From 2002-2007, he served first as a visiting associate professor then as an Invited Associate Professor at Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan. He is now the Medical Director of Allina Health Care's Institute for Health and Healing. He maintains a faculty position at both the University of Minnesota as well as at Keio University.
Dr. Plotnikoff’s focus is cross-cultural and integrative medicine. In 2004-6, he served as the principal investigator and FDA-IND sponsor for a 175 subject phase II randomized-controlled clinical trial of a Kampo (Traditional Japanese herbal medicine) formula. He was also the PI for a widely-cited study of vitamin D deficiency and chronic pain. His most recently written medical textbook chapters include: herbal medicines, pediatric CAM, integrative care for osteoporosis as well as spirituality and clinical care.
Dr. Plotnikoff is the recent recipient of several international awards for both medical research and medical education. He has received early career distinguished achievement awards from Carleton College and from the University of Minnesota Medical Alumni Society. He is a Fellow in the American College of Physicians and a Fellow of the United States-Japan Foundation Leadership Program.
Teaching Areas
Same as research interests.
Research Interests
Herbal medicines and natural products
Cross-cultural medicine
Cross-cultural bioethics
Spirituality and Clinical Care
Selected Publications
Selected Chapters:
Plotnikoff GA, Culbert T, Kemper KJ. "Integrative Pediatric Medicine" in
the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Hoekelman Primary Care Pediatric
Textbook. In press.
Plotnikoff GA. "Spiritual Assessment and Care," in Integrative Medicine:
Complementary Therapeutics in Medical Practice, 2nd Edition. Rakel D. ed.
New York; W.B. Saunders Company, 2006.
Plotnikoff GA, "Osteoporosis," in Integrative Medicine: Complementary
Therapeutics in Medical Practice, 2nd Edition. Rakel D. ed. New York; W.B.
Saunders Company, 2006.
Plotnikoff GA. "Herbal Medicines," in Complementary/Alternative Therapies
in Nursing, 5th Edition. Snyder M, ed. Springer Publishing, 2005.
Xiong P, Numrich C, Wu C, Yang D, Plotnikoff GA. "Hmong Shamanism: Animist
Spiritual Healing in America’s Urban Heartland," in Religion and Healing in
America, Barnes L and Sered S, eds, New York; Oxford University Press,
2005.
Plotnikoff GA. "Case Study: The child with a hole in the heart" in Healing
By Heart: Clinical and Ethical Challenges in Cross-Cultural health Care:
Case Studies of Hmong Patients and Western Practitioners. Culhane-Pera KA,
Vawter DE, Xiong P, Babbitt B, Solberg MM. Vanderbilt University Press,
2003: 154-156. . Plotnikoff GA. "The Challenge of Defining "Best Interest"
Across Cultures," in Healing By Heart: Clinical and Ethical Challenges in
Cross-Cultural health Care: Case Studies of Hmong Patients and Western
Practitioners. Culhane-Pera KA, Vawter DE, Xiong P, Babbitt B, Solberg MM.
Vanderbilt University Press, 2003: 156-164.
Selected Articles/Letters:
Plotnikoff GA. Top ten myths about vitamin D. Minnesota Medicine, 2005
(11):38-41.
Plotnikoff GA. From informed consent to informed coercion. Minnesota
Medicine,　2005(10):34-5.
Noguchi M, Ikarashi Y, Yuzurihara M, Kase Y, Watanabe K, Plotnikoff GA,
Takeda S, Aburada M. Skin temperature rise induced by calcitonin
gene-related peptide in gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue-treated
female rats and alleviation by Keishi-bukuryo-gan, a Japanese herbal
medicine. Life Sci. 2005;76:2079-90.
Kasuga M, Makita K, Ishitani K, Takamatsu K, Watanabe K, Plotnikoff GA,
Horiguchi F, Nozawa S. Relation between climacteric symptoms and ovarian
hypofunction in middle-aged and elderly Japanese women. Menopause
2004;11:631-8.
Plotnikoff GA, McKenna D, Watanabe K, Blumenthal M. Ginseng and warfarin
interactions. Ann Intern Med. 2004 Dec 7;141(11):893-4;
Plotnikoff GA. Pre-implantation sex selection in Japan. Bioethics Examiner
2004;8(1):1-3.
Plotnikoff GA. Metaphors: Words as bridges or barriers to effective patient
communication. Minnesota Medicine 2004;87(7):42-5.
Plotnikoff GA, Quigley JM. Persistent, non-specific musculoskeletal pain:
high prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D. Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
2003;78:1463-1470.
Plotnikoff GA. Food as medicine¿cost-effective health-care? The case of
Omega-3 fatty acids. Minnesota Medicine. 2003;86(11):41-45.
Plotnikoff GA, Numrich C, Wu C, Yang D, Xiong P. Shamanism and conventional
care: Are we prepared? HEC Forum. 2002;14:271-78.
Plotnikoff GA, Numrich C, Wu C, Yang D, Xiong P. Hmong Shamanism: Animist
Spiritual Healing in Minnesota. Minnesota Medicine 2002;85:29-34.
Numrich C, Plotnikoff GA, Wu C, Yang D, Xiong P. Enhanced listening skills:
gifts from the Hmong. J Clin Ethics. 2002;13(4):337-43.
Barnes LL, Plotnikoff GA. Fadiman and beyond¿The dangers of extrapolation.
Bioethics Reporter. 2001;17:32-40.
Barnes LL, Plotnikoff GA, Pendleton S. Religious traditions,
spiritualities, and pediatrics: Intersecting worlds of healing. Pediatrics.
2000; 104:899-908.
Plotnikoff GA. In search of a good death: the spiritual dimension.
Minnesota Medicine. 2000;83:50-1.
Ytterberg SR, Plotnikoff GA, Harris IB. Teaching professionalism through
tutorial discussions of literature--stories, poems, and essays. Academic
Medicine. 1998;73: 586-7.
Plotnikoff GA. Loss of soul: the circumscription of the end-of-life care
debate. Minnesota Physician. 1997; 11 (10): 16-17.
Plotnikoff GA. Spirituality, religion, and the physician: new ethical
challenges in patient care. Bioethics Forum. 1997; 13(4): 25-30.
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Last modified on Monday Aug 23, 2004
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