This study aimed to identify the knowledge and perception of medical school lecturers in relation to acupuncture. Qualitative methodology was employed, involving individual interviews with 15 teachers from various departments of the Ceará Federal University School of Medicine, held in Fortaleza, Ceará, between June and December 2010. The average teaching experience of the lecturers was 22 years and average age,55. It was found that most respondents did not spontaneously seek information about acupuncture; few knew any contraindications and those who recommended acupuncture, did so for the purposes of pain relief; almost all the respondents were in favor of acupuncture being offered to SUS patients, and of including acupuncture in the curriculum as an optional subject or supporting topic in related disciplines. However, few respondents admit addressing this topic in the classroom as form of treatment equivalent to allopathic options. We found that teachers demonstrate interest in unconventional practices and they acknowledge the importance of integrating this theme into the medical curriculum.
Acupuncture; Medical Education; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Complementary Therapies