The Integration of Acupuncture Into Medical School Curriculum and Its Effectiveness in Preparing Future Physicians to Discuss Acupuncture With Their Patients

Abstract

Background:

Medical schools in the United States are increasingly offering complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) training, including acupuncture, to their students.

Objective:

To determine if discussion of acupuncture into the medical school curriculum helps future physicians feel more prepared to discuss acupuncture with their patients.

Design, Setting, and Participants:

First-, second-, and third-year medical students at a midwestern medical school were surveyed before and after the introduction of each CAM course with acupuncture topics.

Main Outcome Measure:

The students' levels of preparedness to discuss acupuncture with their patients were measured following each intervention in the same class within the same year and across different years.

Results:

Overall, medical students in the first, second, and third years felt significantly better prepared to discuss acupuncture with their patients after each intervention (P < .001). However, the effect of improved preparedness to discuss acupuncture with patients appeared to be most significant with the second-year interventions.

Conclusions:

This integration of acupuncture into the curriculum appeared to help future physicians feel more prepared to discuss acupuncture with their patients. However, more refresher courses on this topic are needed to reinforce the sense of preparedness.