Comparative analysis of 1(st), 2(nd), and 4(th )year MD students' attitudes toward Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM)

BACKGROUND: To identify and report the attitudes and beliefs of 1(st), 2(nd), and 4(th )year medical students toward complementary alternative medicine (CAM). METHODS: The previously validated and reliability tested CHBQ was administered to medical students attending the University of South Florida School of Medicine. RESULTS: Significant changes were found between both 1(st )(46.0 ± 7.7) and 4(th )(37.8 ± 15.7) year students and 2(nd )(48.3 ± 7.8) and 4(th )(37.8 ± 15.7) year students. No significant difference was found between 1(st )(46.0 ± 7.7) and 2(nd )(48.3 ± 7.8) year students. When comparing scores based on gender, a significant difference was present between males (41.2 ± 12.2) and females (46.1 ± 11.0). CONCLUSION: CHBQ scores were significantly more positive in both 1(st )and 2(nd )year medical students in comparison with 4(th )year student's scores. These findings suggest that as student exposure to allopathic techniques and procedures increases during the last year of medical school, their attitudes toward CAM decrease. Females were also significantly more likely to have stronger positive attitudes toward CAM than males, though both genders represented an overall positive attitude toward CAM.