Course in massage therapy for medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Complementary Medicine

Background:

• Massage courses for medical students have been conducted at Frankfurt University Medical School since 1987.
• The integration of practical skills into medical curricula is an ongoing area of interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the primary motivations of medical students participating in massage therapy courses.
• To assess changes in students' attitudes toward massage therapy over time.
• To determine the perceived suitability of the theory-to-practical instruction ratio.

Main Methods:

• A standardized questionnaire was administered to medical students at Frankfurt University Medical School in 1990, 1993, and 1995/96.
• Data from 199 participants were analyzed to identify motives and attitudes regarding massage therapy.
• Participant responses regarding the balance of theory and practical instruction were recorded.

Main Results:

• Motivations for participation and attitudes toward massage therapy remained largely consistent across the surveyed years.
• Key motives included learning to practice massage therapy (86%), improve palpation skills (75%), and later prescribe it (66%).
• A theory-to-practical instruction ratio of 1:3.2 was generally considered appropriate by the students.

Conclusions:

• Medical students' interest in learning and applying massage therapy techniques persists.
• The established curriculum effectively addresses student motivations for acquiring practical and prescriptive skills in massage therapy.
• Attitudes towards massage therapy among medical students appear stable, suggesting consistent value perception.