Background: Interest in alternative and complementary medical practices has grown considerably in recent years. Previous surveys have examined attitudes of the general public and practicing physicians. This study examined the training, experience, and attitudes of medical school faculty, who have the primary responsibility for the education of future family physicians.Methods: A 24-item, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all 200 faculty at a medical school with a mission of training primary care physicians.Results: Of 30 therapies listed, 5 were considered legitimate medical practices by more than 70% of the faculty. Eighty-five percent of the respondents reported some training in alternative medical therapies, and 62% were interested in additional training. Eighty-three percent of the faculty reported personal experience with alternative therapies and most rated these as effective. Eighty-five percent of the respondents indicated that their general attitude toward alternative medicine is positive.Conclusions
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