AN INTRODUCTORY PROGRAM TO ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN THE UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL CURRICULUM

Background: Alternative medical therapies are widely practiced in many countries. In the United Arab Emirates, the Ministry of Health has en couraged research in this area. The medical graduate needs to understa nd the principles of current alternative medicine techniques and the e thical basis of the relationship between the various systems of healin g. Description: A course was delivered through problem-based learning; which aimed at defining alternative medicine common practices, the pr inciples on which they are based, and their advantages and disadvantag es. Students interviewed families on their uses of alternative medicin e and techniques. Attitudes of students coward alternative medicine be fore and after the courses were studied. Evaluations: All families use d herbal remedies for treating common symptoms before consulting physi cians and they believed that such remedies were safe. The attitudes of students toward herbal medicine, homeopathy, and acupuncture were mod ified by the program and the students described the program as an oppo rtunity to learn an important topic. Conclusion: To increase knowledge and awareness about alternative medical practices it is necessary to introduce alternative medicine into the undergraduate medical curricul um, as today's medical students will be tomorrow's physicians.