Collecting Information About a CAM Practitioner's Practice: A Preliminary Report of a Self-Interview Methodology

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Medical Education
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Allopathic providers need training to advise patients on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies.
• Integrating CAM practitioners into university curricula requires understanding diverse CAM practices.
• A multidisciplinary committee was formed to guide CAM integration and curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a standardized method for describing CAM practices.
• To create a set of general and specific questions for characterizing CAM approaches.
• To facilitate better communication and decision-making regarding CAM education for students.

Main Methods:

• The University of Kentucky CAM curriculum integration project identified and trained CAM practitioners.
• A multidisciplinary committee provided advice on CAM integration.
• A CAM practice description framework was created using general and specific inquiry questions.

Main Results:

• A structured approach to describing CAM practices was developed.
• The questions aim to elicit detailed information about various CAM modalities.
• This framework addresses the need for systematic research on CAM practice characteristics.

Conclusions:

• The developed CAM practice description framework can enhance understanding of CAM therapies.
• This resource can aid researchers in qualitative studies of CAM practitioners.
• It supports the goal of preparing allopathic providers to effectively discuss CAM with patients.