Making Whole: Applying the Principles of Integrative Medicine to Medical Education

In the past few decades, the public's use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has steadily increased. The term "integrative medicine" is often used to refer to the combination of CAM with conventional medicine. Many medical schools have incorporated didactic content on CAM and/or integrative medicine into their curricula. A frequently cited rationale for these course offerings is that medical students ought to be taught the basics of CAM in order to counsel patients on safe, effective therapeutic options. Schools have also offered these courses to meet the needs of students who are interested in incorporating CAM into future practices. In this article, the authors suggest that the core principles of integrative medicine--holistic worldview, centrality of the doctor-patient relationship, emphasis on wellness, and inclusiveness--are aligned with the goals of contemporary medical education and serve a critical function in the development of effective, humanistic physicians.