Learning technologies and health technologies in complementary medicine clinical work and education: Examination of the perspectives of academics and students in Australia and the United States

Gray, AC; Steel, A; Adams, J

Learning technologies and health technologies in complementary medicine clinical work and education: Examination of the perspectives of academics and students in Australia and the United States

Gray, AC Steel, A

Adams, J

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Advances in Integrative Medicine, 2022, 9, (1), pp. 22-29
Issue Date:: 2022-03-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Gray, AC
dc.contributor.author	Steel, A https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6643-9444
dc.contributor.author	Adams, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9901-5717
dc.date.accessioned	2022-10-05T04:24:10Z
dc.date.available	2022-10-05T04:24:10Z
dc.date.issued	2022-03-01
dc.identifier.citation	Advances in Integrative Medicine, 2022, 9, (1), pp. 22-29
dc.identifier.issn	2212-9588
dc.identifier.issn	2212-9596
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162320
dc.description.abstract	Background: The use of technologies continues to grow in healthcare provision, and learning technologies now dominate tertiary education. Meanwhile, complementary medicine (CM) constitutes a substantial component of contemporary healthcare, yet the education of existing and future CM practitioners has received little empirical attention. In direct response, our study examines the perceptions of CM students and faculty related specifically to health and learning technologies in clinical CM work and education. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to all current students (n = 4851) and tenured, contracted and adjunct academics (n =530) at two CM education institutions – in the US and in Australia. Results: Most student respondents (n = 134, 49%) reported that they either felt they were unsure if they would use telehealth in clinical practice or that they would use it (n = 116, 43%). The majority of all academic respondents did not believe it possible to conduct basic clinical processes online such as reading a patient's body language (M3.8, SD 1.0), conducting quality clinical training in CM settings (M3.2, SD 1.3) or learning rapport skills (M3.2, SD 1.2). Of those academics who were also in clinical practice, only a small number reported conducting virtual consultations in their CM work (n = 7,15.9%). Conclusion: Our findings highlight a potential disparity of perceptions between academics and students in these CM educational settings especially in relation to telehealth. Academics expressed hesitancy to fully rely on technologies to develop practitioners in a field where ‘formation of professional character’ is considered so important.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Advances in Integrative Medicine
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.aimed.2021.10.001
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1104 Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1111 Nutrition and Dietetics, 1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.title	Learning technologies and health technologies in complementary medicine clinical work and education: Examination of the perspectives of academics and students in Australia and the United States
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	9
utslib.for	1104 Complementary and Alternative Medicine
utslib.for	1111 Nutrition and Dietetics
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Public Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ARCCIM - Australian Research Centre in Complementary & Integrative Medicine
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2022-10-05T04:24:09Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	9
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

Background: The use of technologies continues to grow in healthcare provision, and learning technologies now dominate tertiary education. Meanwhile, complementary medicine (CM) constitutes a substantial component of contemporary healthcare, yet the education of existing and future CM practitioners has received little empirical attention. In direct response, our study examines the perceptions of CM students and faculty related specifically to health and learning technologies in clinical CM work and education. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to all current students (n = 4851) and tenured, contracted and adjunct academics (n =530) at two CM education institutions – in the US and in Australia. Results: Most student respondents (n = 134, 49%) reported that they either felt they were unsure if they would use telehealth in clinical practice or that they would use it (n = 116, 43%). The majority of all academic respondents did not believe it possible to conduct basic clinical processes online such as reading a patient's body language (M3.8, SD 1.0), conducting quality clinical training in CM settings (M3.2, SD 1.3) or learning rapport skills (M3.2, SD 1.2). Of those academics who were also in clinical practice, only a small number reported conducting virtual consultations in their CM work (n = 7,15.9%). Conclusion: Our findings highlight a potential disparity of perceptions between academics and students in these CM educational settings especially in relation to telehealth. Academics expressed hesitancy to fully rely on technologies to develop practitioners in a field where ‘formation of professional character’ is considered so important.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162320