Changes in pharmacy students' attitudes and perceptions toward complementary and alternative medicine after completion of a required course.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a required course addressing complementary and alternative medicine would change students' attitudes and perceptions toward the subject and the likelihood that they would recommend various complementary and alternative medicine therapies METHODS: A survey instrument was administered to all third-year PharmD students on the first and last days of the course. The degree of change in response for each question was assessed and analyzed in order to determine the impact of the course. RESULTS: Fifty-five students (93%) completed both the preintervention and postintervention survey instrument. Over half of the students had changes in their attitudes regarding their future competence, their personal interest and experience with complementary and alternative medicine, and their personal beliefs towards the subject after completion of the course. A large proportion of students also had changes in the likelihood that they would recommend a natural product for various conditions and that they would recommend complementary and alternative medicine therapies in general. CONCLUSIONS: A required course addressing complementary and alternative medicine and natural products significantly changed students' attitudes and perceptions toward the subject, as well as their likelihood to recommend various complementary and alternative medicine therapies and natural products in a professional setting.