Interdisciplinary Complementary and Alternative Medicine Curriculum Model

This comprehensive project will evaluate innovative methods and structures to incorporate CAM knowledge and experiences into medical school education, residency training and five disciplines of CE. A multidisciplinary Advisory Committee will incrementally weave multiple CAM modalities into a spectrum of learning contexts taught in an interdisciplinary manner by conventional and CAM providers. Experiential components include a student wellness and health beliefs activity that incorporates CAM experiences into a wellness program with a subgroup participating mind-body skills training. Commitments exist for integration of CAM into 12 of 24 medical school coursed. Experiences include clinical applications on several clerkships and residency rotations. Project personnel have a strong commitment to CAM education and practice and significant expertise in curriculum and organizational development. Process and summative evaluative techniques will be used to ensure project objectives are met. The originating department has strong faculty development capabilities. Because difficulties should be expected in identifying conventional and CAM practitioner faculty qualified to teach CAM, this project will develop and certify and explicit evidence-based CAM content development process. CAM practitioners will receive community faculty appointments and participate in a faculty development program. In year four, after curricula have been demonstrated in the College of Medicine, methodology will be applied to a broader range of learners in the College of Allied Health: physical therapists, physician assistants and nutritionists. The University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center and the originating medical department have a successful history of training and meeting Federal obligations. This project has the endorsement of Medical Center leadership course directors, students and community CAM practitioners.