Increasing physician awareness of the common uses and contraindications of herbal medicines: utility of a case-based tutorial for residents.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the need for incorporating herbal medicine into residency curricula and to assess efficacy of a case-based tutorial.


METHODS
Pilot survey of residents' knowledge, practice, and desire to learn about herbal remedies indicated need for instruction. A case-based tutorial was given as a required conference for residents. Participants were pretested, post-tested within 2 weeks, and their satisfaction evaluated. The pretest, tutorial text, and post-test were distributed at clinic to residents who had missed conference. The tutorial was also placed online.


METHODS
Stony Brook University Hospital and Northport VA Medical Center, affiliates of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY. They serve a suburban/rural population.


METHODS
Eight-two (82) residents were pretested (49 medicine, 7 preventive medicine, 12 family medicine, 10 obstetrics-gynecology, and 4 anesthesia). Sixty-six (66) participated in the tutorial. Residents in the pilot group (n = 12) graduated before the tutorial was given. It was not offered to anesthesia residents (n = 4). Because of scheduling, only 37 tutorial participants were available for post-testing.


METHODS
Tutorial on uses, contraindications, and drug interactions of popular herbal medicines was presented as a live session, text-only exercise, and online.


RESULTS
Pretest scores revealed a knowledge deficit, room for improvement in doctor-patient dialogue, and demand for instruction on herbal medicine. The mean knowledge score of all post-tested participants (n = 37) rose from 34% to 61% (p < 0.0001). The live lecture group (n = 29) increased from 32% to 63% (p < 0.0001). The text-only group (n = 8) increased from 40% to 55% (p = 0.004). Satisfaction was high. Residents did not access the online tutorial, so it was not evaluated.


CONCLUSIONS
Residents request instruction on uses, contraindications, and drug interactions of herbal medicines and should ask patients about use more routinely. A live, case-based tutorial appears effective for introducing herbal medicine into residency curricula.
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D000075202:Contraindications; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D029001:Herbal Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014768:Virginia