EDCAM Pilot Schools
In recognizing the importance of prevention, medical student well-being, and humanistic medicine, AMSA recently set out to bring CAM education to medical schools. Efforts culminated in the AMSA Foundation securing a $1.2 million grant from the NIH-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The EDCAM project, as it's now known, will pilot a comprehensive CAM curriculum at six MD/DO programs over the next four years. The curriculum was designed by experts in the field and includes modules on self-care and stress reduction; CAM therapeutics; holistic interviewing techniques; and CAM research, mentorships, and international electives. Congratulations to the six schools who have been selected:
CYCLE I
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
University of Massachusetts School of Medicine
University of California at Irvine School of Medicine
CYCLE II
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
PROGRAM SUMMARIES
University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut School of Medicine is embarking upon an exciting four-year (2003-2007) curricular initiative to integrate important aspects of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) into our existing educational offerings. Supported by the Educational Development for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (EDCAM) Project Grant from the American Medical Student Association Foundation, we will build upon the guiding goals and objectives their teams developed, as well as access resources via the EDCAM web page.
Some of our key projects will expand upon our School's highly successful programs in clinical education, problem-based learning, and clinical skills assessment. In addition, a common thread addressing the importance and practice of self-care and balance for student-doctors as future healers will be woven throughout all four years. Examples include a newly developed Elective for first year medical students in Mind-Body-Spirit (MBS) Medicine emphasizing techniques for self-care and wellness that may also help patients. We are currently expanding faculty development in MBS Medicine and intend to integrate these skills into required curricula.
"I went to an ICAM meeting today and was completely rejuvenated with the reasons of why I have entered the medical field - to become a healer."- UCONN medical student Other developments include expanding CAM content into our extensive Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) Program. Here we will be integrating developmentally appropriate CAM content across all four years of the curriculum via specific case enhancement and patient instructor training. During the second year of the three-year Student Continuity Practice (SCP) in which students see patients with their physician-preceptor one half day per week, we will begin a pilot program to enable students to interface and mentor with a CAM practitioner within their SCP community. Other EDCAM endeavors will include: integrate a Nutrition Curriculum over all four years with emphasis on small group and problem-based learning classes and cases; expand the popular Integrative/Complementary and Alternative Medicine student interest group core lecture and hands-on series; foster ongoing faculty development via CAM presentations by distinguished speakers and researchers; and offer CAM education to members of our entire Health Center and greater community.
The EDCAM curricular initiative is underway thanks to strong support from our students, faculty, and administrative leadership as well as the rich resources afforded by our holistically-minded community. We look forward to the successes of such synergistic relationships!
University of Massachusetts
At UMass Medical School, the EDCAM project will build on several curricular elements already in place, including a CAM Interclerkship, a one-day intensive program for 3rd year medical students featuring an introduction to CAM and varied CAM experiences; and a 2-week CAM Community Clerkship elective for a small group of interested 1st year medical students.
Project objectives include:
- Development and implementation of curriculum innovations as part of a required CAM core curriculum, and development of elective offerings to allow for further exploration by students.
- Creation of a centralized resource base of standardized patients, reflecting the priority content and context areas of the UMass CAM core curriculum.
- Development of a comprehensive CAM website to serve as a resource to students and faculty.
- Development of a multi-disciplinary faculty development model.
Highlights of curriculum development activities to date include:
- Establishment of an Advisory Committee with key basic and clinical science faculty members and students to provide valuable leadership and ideas for the project.
- Implementation of an orientation session introducing concepts of self-care and stress management for incoming medical students.
- Initiation of development of core curricular enhancements in Anatomy, Pharmacology, Neurosciences, Medical Interviewing and Epidemiology.
- Active involvement of medical students in project planning, and formation of a new CAM student interest group.
- Incorporation of a series of CAM-related evaluation questions within the medical school's existing evaluation system to evaluate project outcomes.
University of California, Irvine
http://www.lib.uci.edu/online/subject/clinical/clinalt.html
The University of California, Irvine, is in the process of stepwise implementation of an integrated CAM curriculum beginning in the basic science and clinical courses of year 1 and 2 (patient-doctor courses, informatics and evidence-based medicine, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology and neurosciences). Multidisciplinary faculty including CAM practitioners and faculty working together with allopathic faculty are being used to present a cohesive model of integrative and holistic care. Students will be exposed to CAM practices and modalities in the classroom and field settings (such as integrative practices), interview patients in preceptors' offices about their CAM use and attitudes, participate in small group problem-based learning, and participate in self-directed learning on evidence-based CAM research in order to teach other students. In years 3 and 4, CAM instruction will be integrated into existing clerkships including Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Ob. Gyn., Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine.
Evaluation of the students and curriculum will be multifaceted and longitudinal. Initial baseline needs assessment and knowledge, skill and attitude assessments have been conducted. A strong student interest exists, led by leaders of the CAM interest group, which will organize and present student conferences. Targeted faculty development has been initiated and will involve both allopathic and CAM faculty, beginning October 2003. AMSA curricular materials will be used, and web links specific to evidence-based CAM information have been created on the existing UCI library resource page, to be disseminated to all levels of learners, health professionals and faculty. These informational sources will be regularly updated to keep pace with the expansion of CAM research and evidence.
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
http://cih.uthscsa.edu/
The EDCAM project will build upon a number of existing curricular and extra-curricular activities at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio [UTHSCSA]. The EDCAM Project will be coordinated by the University's Center for Integrative Health and medical anthropologist Bryan Bayles, PhD. The Center for Integrative Health [CIH] is an interdisciplinary center whose mission is to foster research and education on the safe and effective use of complementary and alternative medical therapies. CIH was founded in 2001 with a special grant from the UTHSCSA President's Office, and is guided by an Advisory Board of individuals representing each of the schools that form the UT Health Science Center [Medical, Dental, Nursing, Allied Health, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences]. The Advisory Board also includes private CAM practitioners of diverse cultural traditions. With its continuing support of CIH, the medical school reconfirms its commitment to advancing the field of integrative medicine and preparing its students to become well-rounded healers.
The Center for Integrative Health is well positioned to provide guidance, coordination and infrastructure for the implementation of EDCAM activities. Present CIH activities include a selective for 4th year medical students focusing on CAM traditions on the US-Mexico border, a regular journal club focusing on current advances in CAM research and practice, and a first- and second-year lunchtime lecture series in collaboration with the University's medical student-led interest group, the Integrative Health Care Association [IHCA]. Consisting of faculty with expertise in community public health, anthropology, and clinical medicine, CIH also conducts social-behavioral research to better understand CAM practices from both contemporary and historical perspectives. Faculty have particular expertise in the area of Hispanic traditions of alternative healing. In addition to sponsoring campus presentations on acupuncture, guided imagery, and nutritional healing, CIH has recently completed the first bilingual Spanish-English replication of David Eisenberg's groundbreaking national survey of CAM use. In consultation with Dr. Eisenberg, the Center for Integrative Health translated, modified, and implemented the survey with telephone interviews of 2000 Mexican Americans throughout the state of Texas and along the Texas-Mexico border.
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/family_medicine/section_integrative_medicine.asp
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine has made the decision to educate our medical students and physicians-in-training in the science of health promotion and treatment including Complementary and Alternative Medicine. James Patrick O'Leary, M.D., Interim Dean of the School of Medicine, created and funded the Section of Integrative Medicine within the Department of Family Medicine. Charles Hilton, M.D., Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, and Richard DiCarlo, M.D., Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, have agreed to integrate CAM education into the current curricula though computer cases, small group sessions, lectures with existing courses, electives, stand-alone courses, and continuity experiences.
The Section of Integrative Medicine has proposed a strong and impressive CAM Education Advisory Board with representatives from various departments within the School of Medicine (Psychiatry, Public Health, Research, Medicine, and Pediatrics), key community stakeholders (the Wholistic Wellness Network [WWN] and Healing Arts Network [HAN], Healing Healthcare, and Touro Infirmary Alternative Medicine Program), and key student leaders. In addition, the current CAM Mentor Student Group - itself a subset of the Integrative Medicine Interest Group - has agreed to serve as a stand-alone student advisory group to this effort.
Our proposed program focuses on innovative approaches that will extend exposure and information regarding CAM to the entire student population. LSUHSC has experience in facilitating short courses for certification and will continue that effort. This spring, a course leading to certification and licensure in hypnotherapy is planned. Other such courses will cover botanical medicine, supplements, vitamins, and homeopathy. Classes are currently being offered in yoga. Others are planned for Tai Chi and Qi Gong, as well as other modalities. LSUHSC is also supporting the WWN's Annual National Conference. The WWN and HAN have agreed to collaborate on this project encouraging their more than 500 practitioners to become lecturers and preceptors. This will allow electives to be offered in or near students' home towns across the state.
Over time, we plan to work toward web-based DVD courses and PowerPoint courses, which will be required for graduation. Course Directors will be solicited to include distinct evidence-based lectures relating to CAM in their courses. Specific lectures on integrative approaches to various disease entities will be delivered in the Family Medicine rotation.
Our evaluation plan includes assessment of specific lectures and courses, population-based attitudinal shifts, and community perception and interest.
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
The University began, two years ago, to introduce CAM topics into the curriculum, with an elective CAM course offered during the summer session. Through the GENCAM project this elective will become a required course. Resources at the University will support the EDCAM modules in significant ways through enhancement of laboratories, lectures, library holdings and workshops. The advisory panel includes the Dean, Associate Dean of Curriculum and Chair of Family Medicine, all individuals in positions to assist this project. Through the GENCAM project we will be able to systematically introduce CAM knowledge, skills and attitudes to students, residents, University faculty, as well as University preceptors and practicing community physicians.
The Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences curriculum (Genesis) incorporates all key scientific and medical concepts and contents found in the traditional medical curriculum, but is distinctive in that it utilizes a patient presentation/complaint model and diagnostic schemes to illustrate the proper evaluation of patients from the very beginning of medical education. Following two years of primarily classroom instruction, students continue in the Genesis curriculum through clerkships, supported by interactive learning experiences on the University's Blackboardä platform. An interactive audio/video system (Polycomä) is also utilized for instruction and faculty development activities at off-campus sites. The University sponsors seven postgraduate programs that will benefit from the EDCAM modules.
T'ai chi/ stress reduction workshopThis proposal is organized around AMSA's guidelines, the requested structure the EDCAM modules. The Management Chart in Attachment 4 provides a one-source overview of all proposed grant activities, noting objectives, time line, evaluation methods and anticipated cost allocation. The University enthusiastically endorses the enhancement of its curriculum by the addition of the EDCAM modules, is uniquely positioned to implement the curriculum and effect a major change in knowledge for its students, residents, faculty and professional community.
STUDENTS SPEAK ABOUT CAM EDUCATION
Quotes from students enrolled in a mind-body-spirit class at an EDCAM pilot school:
"At first, I thought the class might make my already busy Mondays even more crazy, but it was a much needed relaxing time for my soul and brain. I am definitely looking forward to the weeks ahead."
"I am so appreciative of that class, I learned so many everyday life skills that have helped me to really relax, especially when everything around me seems crazy."
Quote from an applicant to an EDCAM pilot school:
"Really, I am not 100% sure that I want to enroll in an allopathic school, and would like to know how much exposure the current university medical student gets to alternative forms of healing. I am particularly interested in alternative perceptions of what constitutes health and disease. Also, if I do study an alternative method of healing along with or after my MD, how easy is it to incorporate that into an allopathic practice? Do either of you use complementary healing methods with your patients?"