Medical student attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical education: A critical review

Joyce, P; Wardle, J; Zaslawski, C

Medical student attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical education: A critical review

Joyce, P Wardle, J

Zaslawski, C

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 2016, 13 (4), pp. 333 - 345
Issue Date:: 2016-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Joyce, P	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Wardle, J https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8813-3542	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Zaslawski, C https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5618-5161	en_US
dc.date.available	2020-05-25T19:06:51Z
dc.date.issued	2016-12-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 2016, 13 (4), pp. 333 - 345	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/55190
dc.description.abstract	© 2016 by De Gruyter. Background: This paper aims to remedy a gap in the knowledge by presenting the first critical review of the literature on major themes relating to medical students perceptions and attitudes towards the exponentially growing field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Methods: After a comprehensive database search of the literature, 21 papers were chosen as suitable for the review. Results: The results from these papers were tabled and discussed. The results indicated that medical students lacked knowledge of CAM and are generally positive towards CAM education (especially in the preclinical years, if it provided evidence of efficacy and post-placement). Medical students thought that CAM should generally be incorporated into the medical curriculum mainly so they can confidently undertake referral to CAM practitioners. Being able to communicate with future patients about their CAM use was a major motivation for medical students to learn about CAM and a factor for medical student support of further incorporation of CAM content in the medical curricula. Educational exposure to CAM in many forms and in many papers was shown to significantly affect medical student attitudes to CAM. This may be reflective of the fact that, outside direct CAM training, there may be limited accessible opportunities for medical students and if integration is to occur, educational exposure is most important. Conclusions: The rise of CAM as a social and clinical phenomenon necessitates consideration of further inclusion of these topics in the medical curriculum, if future physicians are to be able to fully discharge their role as care providers in an increasingly medically pluralistic world. However, the inclusion of CAM needs to be done in an objective and critical manner, which is relevant to the learner.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1515/jcim-2014-0053	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Complementary Therapies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude of Health Personnel	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Motivation	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Curriculum	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Education, Medical	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Students, Medical	en_US
dc.title	Medical student attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical education: A critical review	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	13	en_US
utslib.for	1199 Other Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	0607 Plant Biology	en_US
utslib.for	1104 Complementary and Alternative Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Students
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	13	en_US

Abstract:

© 2016 by De Gruyter. Background: This paper aims to remedy a gap in the knowledge by presenting the first critical review of the literature on major themes relating to medical students perceptions and attitudes towards the exponentially growing field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Methods: After a comprehensive database search of the literature, 21 papers were chosen as suitable for the review. Results: The results from these papers were tabled and discussed. The results indicated that medical students lacked knowledge of CAM and are generally positive towards CAM education (especially in the preclinical years, if it provided evidence of efficacy and post-placement). Medical students thought that CAM should generally be incorporated into the medical curriculum mainly so they can confidently undertake referral to CAM practitioners. Being able to communicate with future patients about their CAM use was a major motivation for medical students to learn about CAM and a factor for medical student support of further incorporation of CAM content in the medical curricula. Educational exposure to CAM in many forms and in many papers was shown to significantly affect medical student attitudes to CAM. This may be reflective of the fact that, outside direct CAM training, there may be limited accessible opportunities for medical students and if integration is to occur, educational exposure is most important. Conclusions: The rise of CAM as a social and clinical phenomenon necessitates consideration of further inclusion of these topics in the medical curriculum, if future physicians are to be able to fully discharge their role as care providers in an increasingly medically pluralistic world. However, the inclusion of CAM needs to be done in an objective and critical manner, which is relevant to the learner.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/55190