In what can be interpreted as a shift in the attitude towards alternative medicine, a recent survey (the largest study of its kind) has revealed that a majority of medical students believe that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) should be afforded a more prominent place in the field of conventional medicine. The findings are published in the journal, Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or eCAM.

CAM includes the use of such therapies as yoga, Chinese and herbal medicine, and acupuncture. CAM procedures promote preventative care that actively involves the patient while focusing on the body’s own mending capabilities. CAM also encourages a more balanced approach to healing that incorporates both the mind and the body, and generally relies on more natural approaches.

Interest in CAM has increased dramatically in this country in recent years, yet information regarding its techniques is still largely absent from conventional medical education, and most doctors are unfamiliar with many of the CAM procedures. This may be due to the fact that, until recently, CAM was, for the most part, marginalized by Western medicine. The current study was undertaken to determine if these prevailing attitudes will change in the future.

To arrive at their findings, the authors developed a novel set of questions that they distributed to over 120 medical schools across the country. Of the 68,000 students contacted, 1,770 responded, with 74% of the respondents stating that a medical system that integrates both Western and CAM approaches would be better than either approach by itself.

The medical students also agreed (77%) that doctors who are familiar with CAM have more to offer to their patients than doctors who only know Western medicine, with 84% believing that conventional medicine would benefit from some of the underlying beliefs and ideas of CAM. And finally, 49% of the students indicated that they had themselves used CAM treatments, though that did not mean they would recommend them to their patients until more scientific evidence becomes available.

The data was evaluated in order to gain a better understanding of how future medical practitioners perceive CAM therapies. Because the response rate was so low (3%), there are future studies planned to further investigate the matter. Interestingly, while it was found that most medical students support the inclusion of CAM, there are still significant obstacles that may hinder its widespread use and acceptance.

Even still, CAM is growing in prominence, lending some degree of credibility to its techniques and opening up the field for future endeavors. This is particularly relevant in light of the current health care debate, as well as the problems that arise in providing health care to developing countries.

The establishment of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, as well as numerous journals that specifically highlight CAM research, are testaments to these shifting attitudes.

For more information, check out the website for NCCAM.