Alternative Medicine Enters The Mainstream
by Alex Russel
alex.russel@collegedegreereview.com
College Degree Review Columnist
Alternative Medicine Enters The Mainstream
According to the Associated Press, doctors at Penn are working with the Tai Sophia Institute, an alternative medicine school in Maryland, on a program to teach medical students about herbal therapies, meditation and other approaches that are increasingly popular with the public.
Conventional Medicine Works With Alternative Medicine
"We're not going to turn great surgeons into acupuncturists or herbalists; that's not the idea," said Robert Duggan, co-founder of Tai Sophia. "The goal is that Penn medical school graduates will be highly able to speak with patients about how to guide these things into their overall care."
One Third of Adults Have Tried Alternative Medicine
According to a 2002 government survey of 31,000 people, more than a third of American adults have tried alternative therapies - including yoga, meditation, herbs and the Atkins diet.
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Universities nationwide are increasingly focusing on alternative medicine - some creating their own programs and others working with alternative medicine practitioners.
"There's a willingness by conventional schools to recognize [alternative medicine] schools as having this expertise," said Aviad Haramati, a professor at Georgetown University's medical school. "And there's a recognition by the [alternative medicine] disciplines that linking with conventional academic centers to foster research is a good thing."
Prospects for an Alternative Medicine Degree
Jobs for doctors with alternative medicine training should be plentiful, especially in dealing with the country's increasing amount of retirees. According to new study findings more than 70 percent of adults aged 50 or older use some type of alternative therapy.
Author Dr. Gong-Soog Hong told the news service Reuters that many old people turn to alternative medicine when they find that conventional medicine fails to cure them to satisfaction.
Alternative Medicine Provides Answers
"When conventional medicine cannot give you an answer, sometimes you turn to alternatives," Hong said in an interview.
Alternative medicine can be learned through its own degrees (often certificates), or as a compliment to medical or nursing school training. Alternative medicine is becoming such a normal part of our healing culture that no matter your medical specialty, chances are good that you will get some training, like it or not, in alternative medicine.
About the Author
Alex Russel is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY.. Since graduating from Syracuse University he has worked at many different media companies in fields as diverse as film, TV, advertising, and journalism. He holds a dual bachelor's degree in English and History.
Sources
usatoday.com
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