In response to the recent growth of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Foundation proposes to provide comprehensive CAM curricula and programs to allopathic and osteopathic medical institutions and their students to improve their level of awareness about CAM practices. AMSA, as a national organization, is in the unique position of being able to reach medical students in their formative years. The overall goal of the AMSA CAM Education Initiative is to improve medical student proficiency in CAM, to enhance medical student education of preventive health, holistic care, and self-care in the context of integrative medicine, and to improve the cultural competency of students increasingly exposed to diverse populations and varied world healing methods. There are three main program strategies: 1) collaborate with six medical schools to develop and pilot test a CAM curriculum; 2) develop and conduct an annual, week-long CAM Leadership Training Program for 20 medical students; and 3) expand AMSA's current CAM resources. AMSA believes that with the combination of projects outlined in this proposal, the strong infrastructure within AMSA, and support from NCCAM, the following outcomes will be accomplished: 1. Medical students will become more acutely aware and knowledgeable of CAM and holistic medicine and will gain cultural competency skills by understanding the CAM beliefs and practices of diverse and undersenred populations. 2. Medical students will learn to incorporate many CAM-related wellness techniques into their lives to help them reduce stress and serve as healthy role models for their patients and communities. 3. Medical students will learn leadership skills to share that knowledge and experience with others and create change in their communities as future physicians. 4. Medical students will acquire skills associated with the practice of holistic, patient-centered, integrative medical care and will be encouraged to pursue careers in public and community health. 5. AMSA's CAM model curriculum will be disseminated through its Web site, presentation at professional meetings, and submission of articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals .
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