Are we teaching the modalities that patients use? Complementary and integrative medicine in US undergraduate medical education.
Description
Integrative medicine, in its broadest definition, combines the best evidence-based tools from both conventional biomedical and complementary and alternative medical (CAM) practices. Despite its ever-growing practice among the American population, it continues to be excluded or minimally addressed throughout undergraduate medical education (UGME), leaving new physicians underprepared to care for patients who incorporate these modalities. This literature review aims to assess if, and to what extent, complementary and integrative medicine is taught in medical schools in the United States, with a specific focus on UGME. The objective is to gain deeper insight into the current CAM curriculums that exist within medical schools and, further down the line, explore ways to incorporate these practices into curriculum here at DMU.Searches of PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, and CINAHL identified 557 articles, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria as U.S.-based medical schools incorporating CAM into UGME. Most courses were general CAM electives, but some specifically focused on mindfulness/meditation/yoga, herbal medicine, or nutrition, with many also emphasizing evidence-based medicine and cultural competency. Courses offered to medical students were typically short electives, ranging from hours to weeks, which consisted of some combination of didactic lectures, experiential sessions, and discussions/cases. Study outcomes highlighted qualitative evaluations reporting students gained knowledge in CAM, confidence in addressing CAM in patient care, and acquired tools to support their own wellbeing. While the electives reviewed were instructive and offer useful models, this review underscores the absence of a systematic and organized approach to exposing all U.S. UGME students to CAM education.
Citation Information
Swartz, Claire and Lambert, Mark, "Are we teaching the modalities that patients use? Complementary and integrative medicine in US undergraduate medical education." (2026). Office of Research DMU Research Symposium. 22.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/researchsymposium/2025rs/2025abstracts/22
Are we teaching the modalities that patients use? Complementary and integrative medicine in US undergraduate medical education.
Integrative medicine, in its broadest definition, combines the best evidence-based tools from both conventional biomedical and complementary and alternative medical (CAM) practices. Despite its ever-growing practice among the American population, it continues to be excluded or minimally addressed throughout undergraduate medical education (UGME), leaving new physicians underprepared to care for patients who incorporate these modalities. This literature review aims to assess if, and to what extent, complementary and integrative medicine is taught in medical schools in the United States, with a specific focus on UGME. The objective is to gain deeper insight into the current CAM curriculums that exist within medical schools and, further down the line, explore ways to incorporate these practices into curriculum here at DMU.Searches of PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, and CINAHL identified 557 articles, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria as U.S.-based medical schools incorporating CAM into UGME. Most courses were general CAM electives, but some specifically focused on mindfulness/meditation/yoga, herbal medicine, or nutrition, with many also emphasizing evidence-based medicine and cultural competency. Courses offered to medical students were typically short electives, ranging from hours to weeks, which consisted of some combination of didactic lectures, experiential sessions, and discussions/cases. Study outcomes highlighted qualitative evaluations reporting students gained knowledge in CAM, confidence in addressing CAM in patient care, and acquired tools to support their own wellbeing. While the electives reviewed were instructive and offer useful models, this review underscores the absence of a systematic and organized approach to exposing all U.S. UGME students to CAM education.
