Complementary and Alternative Medical Practices: Training, Experience, and Attitudes of a Primary Care Medical School Faculty

Abstract

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

Physicians Perception on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM): A Cross Sectional Survey at Tertiary Care Hospital in India

“…Our physicians with <5 years' experience were more willing to refer patients, agreeing with a recent review by Kurtz et al [22] However, a review study with 19 surveys conducted between 1982 and 1995 found no differences in referral rates for CAM by age [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Two surveys [ 22,23] found referral rates for CAM were higher among female physicians and three found no difference in referral rates according to physician's gender [22][23][24].…”

“…We found most physicians (58%) disapprove including CAM education in medical curricula, whereas most published surveys indicate physicians wish to learn about most common CAM therapies, a high proportion (62-81%) agreeing to receive more education on them [25][26][27] We report 60% oppose training allopathy physicians about CAM, unsurprising, since many of them respondents were at medical school and residency during which CAM wasn't widely discussed and rarely included in medical school curricula [28]. Most physicians disapprove CAM for patients refractory to allopathic treatment.…”

Pakistani Pharmacy Students’ Perception About Complementary and Alternative Medicine

“…8 Studies have been undertaken in several countries to determine the knowledge and attitudes of medical, pharmacy, and nursing school students, staff members, and faculty members concerning CAM. [9][10][11][12][13] The majority of medical and pharmacy students surveyed welcomed the inclusion of CAM education in the curricula; nursing students were less enthusiastic. 6,[14][15][16][17] The increased use of CAM worldwide requires that consideration be given to the integration of CAM into health professions education.…”

Natural Products and Dermatological Hypersensitivity Diseases

“…Between 60-80% of surveyed physicians express interest in CAM therapy (Corbin Winslow & Shapiro, 2002;Milden & Stokols, 2004) but few as 14% have recommended it their patients. Among physicians there is prejudice about the different types if CAMs, established practices such as acupuncture, chiropractor tend to be surveyed as the most likely to be beneficial to the patient; While reiki, bioelectromagnetics, aromatherapy have been ranked by doctors as having the least potential to be beneficial or event harmful to the patient (Levine et al, 2003).…”