Changes in medical students' attitudes toward acupuncture: the possible impact of role models.

Design: In 1992 and 1996, all medical students in Tromso, Norway, completed a questionnaire regarding their attitudes toward acupuncture. Objectives: To study possible changes in medical students' attitudes toward acupuncture as a therapeutic tool during four years in medical school. Also examined was the students levels of interest in acquiring more knowledge about acupuncture. Findings: After four additional years in medical school a higher proportion of students would not consider acupuncture if they had complaints or diseases where acupuncture could be an alternative, and a higher proportion would actively advise their future migraine patients against acupuncture treatment. Fewer students were planning to acquire knowledge about acupuncture in order to consider using the method in their future practice as doctors. Although the proportion of students who were highly negative were in the minority for each class, the changes from the first to the follow-up testing were found to be significant and in a consistently negative direction. Conclusions: We conclude that the main explanation for our findings is that the medical school role models and the educational process have a direct negative effect on the students' attitudes towards acupuncture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]