Abstract:
Heterodox or complementary medicines are prescribed by many Braziljan physicians but are not regularly taught m medical schools. We conducted a survey of 51 Brozilian medical students attending a national congress on medical education to determine their attitudes towards four complementary medicines prescribed by physicians in Brazil. Questions were asked of extent of knowledge, efficacy, interest in learning, usefulness, and recommendation for implementation in medical school curricula and public health services in relation to acupuncture, homeopathy, hypnosis and phytotherapy. More than half of the students showed laugh interest in learning complementary medicines and felf that courses should be taught in Brazilian medical schools, whether as optional (86%) or mandatory credits (9%). Although more than 80% of the sample admitted to having little or no information on complementary medicines, 60% claimed they were very or extremely effective. According to two-thirds of the sample, physicians should generally be responsible for prescribing complementary medicines and public health services should routinely offer them to benefit patients. Brazilian medical students interested in medical education are poorly informed about complementary medicines and believe they can be very effective and should be provided routinely in public health services. They also wish to be better trained or informed about them.
Key-words:
Education, Medical; Education, medial, undergraduate; Students, medical; Attitude; Alternative medicine; Curriculum
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