Zurkinden Eléonore, Dubois Julie, Rodondi Pierre-Yves, Huber Benedikt M
Institute of Family Medicine, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Department of Community Health, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2025 Sep 11;12:23821205251370544. doi: 10.1177/23821205251370544. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) is acknowledged as integral parts of healthcare systems worldwide and thus increasingly integrated in medical education. Regarding undergraduate medical education, studies demonstrate the positive attitude of medical students toward TCIM and their general interest in it. However, their engagement in curriculum development has not yet been explored in this context.
We conducted an exploratory qualitative descriptive study using a focus group discussion with fourth-year medical students to explore perspectives, experiences, and expectations in relation to a novel curriculum on TCIM at Fribourg University in Switzerland. The aim was to identify elements that could be of general importance for curriculum development of TCIM in undergraduate medical education.
Main themes derived from the analysis were (a) the need for and usefulness of a curriculum about TCIM in undergraduate medical education, (b) satisfaction with the content and structure of the Fribourg curriculum, and (c) important competencies acquired or to be acquired during the curriculum. Most important, students agreed that TCIM is essential for all students and not just optional in medical school curricula. Students favored a longitudinal and transversal curriculum for TCIM, allowing cross-fertilization with other medical disciplines. Students emphasized the importance of a patient-centered and relationship-based approach to good patient care, which is integral to the definition of TCIM. Finally, students highlighted the diversity of attitudes, expectations, and perspectives as an inherent issue for academic teaching and learning as well as for patient care.
Our study demonstrates the usefulness and importance of engaging students in undergraduate medical curricula on TCIM through participation in the process of continuous curriculum development. Medical students in our study consider TCIM to be an essential subject, which advocates for its stronger inclusion in medical training to prepare future doctors to provide patient-centered care in increasingly complex healthcare systems.
传统医学、补充医学和整合医学（TCIM）被公认为全球医疗保健系统的组成部分，因此越来越多地融入医学教育。关于本科医学教育，研究表明医学生对TCIM持积极态度且普遍对其感兴趣。然而，在这方面尚未探讨他们在课程开发中的参与情况。
我们进行了一项探索性定性描述性研究，通过与瑞士弗里堡大学四年级医学生进行焦点小组讨论，以探讨与TCIM新课程相关的观点、经验和期望。目的是确定对本科医学教育中TCIM课程开发可能具有普遍重要性的要素。
分析得出的主要主题包括：（a）本科医学教育中TCIM课程的必要性和实用性；（b）对弗里堡课程内容和结构的满意度；（c）在课程期间获得或即将获得的重要能力。最重要的是，学生们一致认为TCIM对所有学生都至关重要，而不仅仅是医学院课程中的选修内容。学生们赞成TCIM采用纵向和横向课程，以便与其他医学学科相互促进。学生们强调以患者为中心和基于关系的良好患者护理方法的重要性，这是TCIM定义的组成部分。最后，学生们强调态度、期望和观点的多样性是学术教学和学习以及患者护理中的一个固有问题。
我们的研究表明，通过参与持续的课程开发过程，让学生参与本科医学TCIM课程是有用且重要的。我们研究中的医学生认为TCIM是一门重要学科，主张将其更有力地纳入医学培训，以使未来的医生能够在日益复杂的医疗保健系统中提供以患者为中心的护理。
