A survey of Canadian regulated complementary and alternative medicine schools about research, evidence-based health care and interprofessional training, as well as continuing education

Abstract

BackgroundWhile some effort has been made to integrate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) information in conventional biomedical training, it is unclear whether regulated Canadian CAM schools’ students are exposed to research activities and continuing education, or whether topics such as evidence-based health care and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) are covered during their training. Since these areas are valued by the biomedical training field, this may help to bridge the attitudinal and communication gaps between these different practices. The aim of this study was to describe the training offered in these areas and gather the perceptions of curriculum/program directors in regulated Canadian CAM schools.MethodsA two-phase study consisting of an electronic survey and subsequent semi-structured telephone interviews was conducted with curriculum/program (C/P) directors in regulated Canadian CAM schools. Questions assessed the extent of the research, evidence-based health care, IPC training and continuing education, as well as the C/P directors’ perceptions about the training. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the schools’, curriculum’s and the C/P directors’ characteristics. Content analysis was conducted on the interview material.ResultsTwenty-eight C/P directors replied to the electronic survey and 11 participated in the interviews, representing chiropractic, naturopathy, acupuncture and massage therapy schools. Canadian regulated CAM schools offered research and evidence-based health care training as well as opportunities for collaboration with biomedical peers and continuing education to a various extent (58% to 91%). Although directors were generally satisfied with the training offered at their school, they expressed a desire for improvements. They felt future CAM providers should understand research findings and be able to rely on high quality research and to communicate with conventional care providers as well as to engage in continuing education. Limited length of the curriculum was one of the barriers to such improvements.ConclusionsThese findings seem to reinforce the directors’ interest and the importance of integrating these topics in order to ensure best CAM practices and improve communication between CAM and conventional providers.

<p>A survey of the training of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine in universities in Thailand</p>

“…Similarly, a number of universities in Malaysia offer bachelor’s degree programs in various types of TCAM (traditional Chinese medicine, Malay medicine, complementary medicine, homeopathy, Ayurveda medicine, and chiropractic) 28. Results from this study showed that all or almost all training institutions offered research methods and scientific proofs about the efficacy and safety of treatments, which is similar to regulated TCAM schools in Canada 27. Moreover, more than half of the training institutions indicated that their curriculum includes opportunities for collaboration with biomedical peers.…”

“…The measure for TCAM departments/faculties was adapted from Toupin April et al,27 including characteristics of the TCAM training (number of students, instructors, curricula content), professional training of instructors, pedagogical approaches, satisfaction of the training offered, anticipated changes in the near future, curriculum improvement, and barriers and support to implement changes 27. The study was conducted in 2017.…”

The characteristics, experiences and perceptions of naturopathic and herbal medicine practitioners: results from a national survey in New Zealand

“…An 2008 NZ study of practice nurses showed that there was still a lack of knowledge of evidence-based clinical guidelines, with variable use among those who had that knowledge [ 46 ] indicating a similarity between N/HMPs and nurses in their attitude to evidence and evidence-based medicine. N/HMPs attitude to research and evidence-based medicine could also be a result of current educational provision in N/HMP, with a lack of commitment to developing research capacity and outputs [ 35 , 47 , 48 ]. A national CAM research unit (as favoured by the N/HMPs surveyed) has the potential to address some of current research challenges that appear to face the sector in NZ.…”

A perspective on Councils on Chiropractic Education accreditation standards and processes from the inside: a narrative description of expert opinion, part 2: Analyses of particular responses to research findings

“…We suspect the finding that medical faculty with outdated knowledge of research methodologies, poor skills in critical evaluation of medical information were barriers to the adoption of EB medicine would also apply to chiropractic faculty [45, 46]. If chiropractic education and the profession is to continue to establish itself as a credible and mature health profession, then there needs to be an emphasis on not just training semi-skilled consumers of research but also on facilitating increased numbers of post graduate researchers and research active academics within chiropractic programs [47, 48]. CCEs standards may include expectations toward this end.…”