Developing the complementary and alternative medicine education infrastructure: Baccalaureate programs in the United States

Objectives: Efforts to build a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) education and research infrastructure have been productive. Development has focused largely on graduate, postgraduate, and professional level training. This paper examines baccalaureate programs, looking at the prevalence and characteristics of CAM and holistic health training in the United States. Design: A comprehensive literature and web site search was conducted to find educational institutions offering baccalaureate programs in CAM or holistic health. Search criteria included accredited undergraduate programs terminating in a minor, an AA, or a BA/BS degree. Results: A search of health and education databases produced marginal results. Internet searches, by contrast, were very productive in locating CAM or holistic health-related programs generally and baccalaureate programs specifically. The most effective search strings included terms such as 'holistic health,' 'minor,' 'certificate,' and 'undergraduate.' Using these terms, 5 programs were found in the United States that met the inclusion criteria: Arizona State University East, Bastyr University, San Francisco State University, Metropolitan State College of Denver, and Georgian Court College. Conclusions: Preparing tomorrow's scholars and clinicians to contribute meaningfully to this emerging healthcare paradigm will require a plan that integrates all elements of higher education. The creation of a truly effective workforce of CAM-competent M.D.s, nurses, health educators, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals will increasingly necessitate baccalaureate preparation. Curriculum discussions at the campus, state, and national levels are needed.