J Altern Complement Med. 2002 Aug; 8(4): 507-15.

Introducing integrative East-West medicine to medical students and residents.

Hui KK, Zylowska L, Hui EK, Yu JL, Li JJ.

UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, Santa Monica, and Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Khui@mednet.ucla.edu

Over the last several years, many medical schools and residencies have introduced complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into their curricula, prompting a discussion as to how CAM should be taught. In this paper, we share our experiences teaching medical trainees integrative East-West medicine, an approach to health and disease that brings together modern Western and Chinese medicine. A 2-week clinical rotation that is intimately tied to our busy clinical program is described in detail as we explore some of the challenges and opportunities involved in teaching a CAM-related field to medical trainees. We also demonstrate how such a clinical experience offers an opportunity to impart on our students a broad view of medicine and to discuss novel approaches to clinical problem-solving.