Positive Health Online

Abstract

NEDROW and co-workers, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR 97239, USA, have surveyed the attitudes of health care students towards CAM.

Background

In the course of the development of curricula in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), a key component was provided by a survey assessing attitudes toward CAM and selected personality characteristics of entering students in chiropractic, naturopathic, Oriental, and allopathic medicine.

Methodology

A survey containing a variety of assessments of attitudes toward CAM and the personality traits of adventurousness and tolerance to ambiguity was administered to students entering four Portland, Oregon doctoral-level health professional schools and an allopathic medical school in the Upper Midwest during the 2004-2005 academic year.

Results

Students of naturopathy (n = 63) and Oriental Medicine (n = 71) were the most "CAM positive," adventurous and tolerant of ambiguity, and Midwestern allopathic medical students (n = 58) the least. In general, chiropractic students (n = 89) and allopathic medical students from the Pacific Northwest (n = 95) were intermediate in CAM attitudes between these two groups (all p < 0.05). Female students were more "CAM positive" in all schools compared to male students.

Conclusion

Students have high levels of interest in CAM upon entrance to their schools.

References

Nedrow AR et al. Implications for education in complementary and alternative medicine: a survey of entry attitudes in students at five health professional schools. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine 13 (3): 381-386, Apr 2007.