title: Medical students' knowledge, attitude, and practice of complementary and alternative medicine: a pre-and post-exposure survey in Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidently, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a recognized medical practice that efficiently uses multiple treatment therapies and techniques in the prevention and management of a variety of human disorders. Many medical schools have integrated CAM curriculum in medical education system worldwide. Research in knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of diverse health professionals exposed to CAM courses is important from many perspectives including improvement in KAP and teaching skills of faculty, together with capacity building and curriculum development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This pre- and post-design cross-sectional study aimed to assess CAM-KAP of two intakes of medical students in Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The second-year medical students of the first (year 2012-2013) and second (year 2013-2014) intake (n=26 and 39, respectively) were selected for this study. A reliable, 16-item self-administered questionnaire was distributed among all the students for answering before and after the 48-hour CAM course. The data were analyzed using appropriate statistical test of significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical students' knowledge and attitude toward CAM significantly improved across some subitems of CAM questionnaire with a positive trend in the rest of its items including their views on CAM practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAM course tends to have a positive impact on KAP of medical students. The preliminary results of this study call for further research with a larger sample in academic settings across the nation.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed Abdullah
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al Mansour
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah Mn
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al-Bedah
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed Othman
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: AlRukban
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ibrahim S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Elsubai
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Elsadiq Yousif
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed Tawfik
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: El Olemy
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Asim Ah
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Km
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Meshari Saleh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alqaed
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almudaiheem
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Waqas Sami
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khalid Altohami
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Medani
authors.affiliation: National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Naseem Akhtar
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Qureshi
keywords: Saudi Arabia; curriculum; medical schools; traditional medical system; undergraduate medical students