West Indian Med J. 2002 Sep; 51(3): 164-6.

Complementary medicine seminar for medical undergraduates at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

Desai P.

Department of Community Health and Psychiatry, Community Health Section, University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica, West Indies. patriciadesai@hotmail.com

Use of complementary medicine by the general public is increasing. It is therefore apt that doctors in training learn more about it. For several years, medical students doing their Year III Community Health clerkship have had one afternoon devoted to the subject. In advance, they are given reading materials and are asked to prepare short presentations relating to definitions, types of therapies available, principles underlying some of these therapies, extent of usage of complementary medicine, expenditure on it, appropriate research methods to evaluate effectiveness, and opinions of the public and the profession regarding its use. A demonstration of one kind of complementary medicine by a practising therapist forms part of the activities.