This project will design, implement, evaluate, and disseminate a Core CAM Curriculum to medical and other health professional students at multiple levels. An Executive Committee will direct the efforts of an interdisciplinary Core CAM Curriculum Committee to develop problem-based learning cases, web-based cases, lectures, demonstrations, and experiences about CAM for targeted learners. Years 1 and 2 of the project will be focused on developing a curriculum for 1st and 2nd medical students that will be integrated into their existing problem-based practice of Medicine course. Emphasis will be given to presenting evidence-based CAM content, teaching communication skills in this area, and encouraging lifelong learning skills such as the basic of evidence-based medicine and how to use electronic systems to find reliable information about CAM. We will also begin faculty development in CAM on campus with selected faculty in major departments and offer continuing education through ongoing primary care review courses. During Years 3-4 of the project, we will adapt the Core CAM Curriculum to the learning needs of 3rd and 4th year medical students, medical residents, nursing and allied health students, and community faculty preceptors, as well as expand the CAM continuing education program for practitioners. Building on the ethnic diversity of our students, faculty, staff, and patients, we will emphasize intercultural CAM issues throughout, particularly those related to the Hispanic use of alternative therapies. We plan ongoing valuation of this educational project and will utilize tools to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum, including interviews, surveys, questionnaires, and focus groups to produce quantitative, reportable data. Dissemination of the curriculum will be undertaken through web-based technology, lectures and workshops at national meetings, publications, and networking with other programs. We will use our community-based educational network and technology infrastructure to maximize delivery of the curriculum to a wide regional audience. Mounting the curriculum on our web site will enable us to export it to other educational settings nationwide.
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