Medical education

n the United States, increasing numbers of medical colleges have started offering courses in alternative medicine. For example, in three separate research surveys that surveyed 729 schools (125 medical schools offering an MD degree, 25 medical schools offering a Doctor of Osteopathic medicine degree, and 585 schools offering a nursing degree), 60% of the standard medical schools, 95% of osteopathic medical schools and 84.8% of the nursing schools teach some form of CAM.[74][75][76] The University of Arizona College of Medicine offers a program in Integrative Medicine under the leadership of Andrew Weil that trains physicians in various branches of alternative medicine which "...neither rejects conventional medicine, nor embraces alternative practices uncritically."[77] Accredited Naturopathic colleges and universities are also increasing in number and popularity in Canada and the USA. (See Naturopathic medical school in North America). In Connecticut, the University of Connecticut Medical School sponsors exposure to Ayurveda in periodic seminars and courses, for example, on mental health by a Yale affiliated medical doctor and psychiatrist (Ninivaggi, Frank John (2008). Ayurveda: A Comprehensive Guide to Traditional Indian Medicine for the West. Praeger Press: ISBN 0313348375).

Similarly "unconventional medicine courses are widely represented at European universities. They cover a wide range of therapies. Many of them are used clinically. Research work is underway at several faculties,"[78] but "only 40% of the responding [European] universities were offering some form of CAM training."[79]

In contrast to unconventional schools in Britain, no conventional medical schools offer courses that teach the clinical practice of alternative medicine.[80] The British Medical Acupuncture Society offers medical acupuncture certificates to doctors, as does the College of Naturopathic Medicine UK and Ireland.