Abstract
ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine(CAM)remainsacontroversialtopic.Despiteitswidespreadusebypa-tients[1],itsprovisionbyalargenumberofphysiciansandsubstantialstudentinterest[2],[3],itisrarelytaughtbymedicalschoolsinEurope.Bycontrast,intheUnitedStates(US)82medicalschoolshaveincludedCAM-re-lated content in their compulsory curriculum [4] andspecialeducationalmethodsareusedtoteachaboutCAM[5].InadiscussionontheteachingofCAMatuniversities,itisimportanttoclarifywhichmethodsaredesignatedbythetermCAM.CAMcoversabroadvarietyoftreatmentmethods that are not part of conventional medicine(http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/ and http://www.nhsdirectory.org/default.aspx?page=HLReport).Thesemethodscomprisewholemedicalsystems,suchasnaturopathy,Chinesemedicineandhomeopathy,aswellassingleinterventionssuchasaromatherapy[1],[6].TheNationalCentreforComplementaryandAlternat-iveMedicine(NCCAM)intheUSdefineswholemedicalsystemsassystemsthatarebuiltuponcompletesystemsoftheoryandpractice.Suchsystemshaveevolvedpriorto and separate from conventional medicine (http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/overview.htm).Althoughsurveydatashowthatdecision-makersatGer-manmedicalschoolsareindeedinterestedinCAM,CAMisintegratedinmedicalcurriculatoaverylimitedextentonly[7].ThisisunderscoredbythefactthatallchairsinCAMatmedicalschoolsareendowedchairs.ApossibleexplanationforthisisthatmedicalschoolsfeelboundtoscientificmedicineandthatscientificevidenceformanyCAMtreatmentsisscarce.However,someuniversitieshavebeeninvolvedinCAMresearchformanyyearsandofferlecturesonCAM[8],[9],[10].Since 2003, naturopathy treatments (German:Naturheilverfahren) have been included in the main-streammedicalcurriculuminGermany,butthenumberofteachinghoursandthecontenttaughtvariesgreatlybetweenuniversities.InGermany,naturopathyisdefinedasacombinationoflifestylemedicineandmind-bodymedicine (German: Ordnungstherapie), hydrotherapy,herbalmedicine,exercisetherapyanddietetictreatment.Itisusedeitherasapreventivemeasureortherapeutic-ally.ItdependsontheuniversitywhethernaturopathyaloneistaughtorwhetherotherCAMtreatments,suchashomeopathyandChinesemedicine,arealsoincludedinthecurriculum.Inadditionsomeuniversitiesofferop-tionalcoursesoncomplementarymedicine.Inthespringof2009,aconferenceonCAMeducationinGermanUniversitieswasorganizedbytheCarstensFoundation,offeringaplatformfordiscussionaboutexperiences,co-operationandstandardizationinrelationtoCAMcourses.InSwitzerlandandAustriaCAMisnotincludedinthecoremedicalcurriculum.Lecturesaremainlyoptionalanddependoninitiativesofindividualuniversities.AtViennamedicalschool,forexample,alectureseriesonthefun-damentalsandthepracticeofCAMisofferedbytheInsti-tuteofGeneralMedicine.Additional,morespecialized,coursesareofferedinhomeopathy,acupunctureandhypnosis.AllmedicalstudentsatViennamedicalschoolhavetoattendacompulsorycase-basedcourseoninter-disciplinary patient management and this course ad-dressestreatmentoptionsfrombothconventionalmedi-cine and CAM (e.g. homeopathy, osteopathy, herbalmedicine,acupuncture,neuraltherapy).AnotherexampleisthemedicalschoolofGrazinStyria,whichoffersanoptionallectureseriesinCAMwiththemainfocusonhomeopathy.InSwitzerland,atthemedicalschoolsofBernandZurich,severalcoursesaretaughtincludinglecturesandpracticalcoursesinnaturopathy,homeo-pathy,Chinesemedicine,anthroposophicalmedicineandneuraltherapy.MostofthesecoursesareofferedaselectivesforinterestedstudentsandtheyarerunbytheKollegialeInstanzKomplementarmedizin(KIKOM)inBern
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
