Teaching complementary and alternative medicine in a reform curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Integrative Medicine
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

Background:

• Growing use of CAM contrasts with limited medical school education.
• CAM therapies integrated into a German medical school curriculum.
• Addressing the educational gap in CAM for future physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a CAM seminar for medical students.
• To assess student demand and opinions on CAM education.
• To foster an integrative and pluralistic approach to medicine.

Main Methods:

• Developed and delivered a CAM seminar covering naturopathy, homeopathy, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
• Employed experiential and dialogical teaching methods.
• Administered the 'Heidelberg Inventory for Educational EVALUATION' (HILVE) and a questionnaire on CAM knowledge and opinions.

Main Results:

• Students rated seminar participation and atmosphere as very good; other aspects above average, excluding workload.
• 69% of students responded to a survey, with acupuncture and homeopathy being the most known CAM methods.
• 44% reported personal CAM experience; 73-96% supported CAM inclusion in the curriculum, citing benefits like fewer side effects and cost reduction.

Conclusions:

• The CAM seminar concept aids students in forming informed opinions on CAM.
• High student support underscores the demand for university-level CAM education.
• Exposure to diverse medical philosophies encourages a more integrative approach to patient care.