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Introducing complementary medicine into the medical curriculum
H Rampes1, F Sharples, S Maragh
1Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital NHS Trust, London, England.
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
|January 1, 1997
Summary
British medical schools offer limited complementary medicine education, but curriculum development is active. Most students desire training in therapies like acupuncture and homeopathy, suggesting its inclusion in undergraduate medical studies.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Complementary Medicine
Background:
- Complementary medicine (CM) is increasingly relevant in healthcare.
- Undergraduate medical curricula in the UK have historically offered minimal CM education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current provision of complementary medicine (CM) in British medical school undergraduate curricula.
- To evaluate medical students' knowledge of and attitudes towards CM instruction.
Main Methods:
- Survey of deans at British medical schools regarding CM curriculum content.
- Sampling of medical students at a single UK institution to gauge knowledge and interest in CM.
Main Results:
- Current CM education in UK medical schools is limited but undergoing active development.
- Student knowledge of CM varies significantly across different therapeutic modalities.
- A majority of surveyed students expressed interest in learning about acupuncture, hypnosis, homeopathy, and osteopathy.
Conclusions:
- There is a clear need for integrating complementary medicine into the undergraduate medical curriculum.
- Incorporating CM can be achieved efficiently and serve as a platform for discussing broader medical education issues.
- This integration aligns with recommendations from the General Medical Council for enhanced medical training.