The evaluation of the relevance of teaching of homeopathy at the medical school

Background: In 1912 the Hahnemann Medical Faculty to graduate homeopathic physicians was created. This was one of the courses that originated the present Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro – UNIRIO. Homeopathy in UNIRIO was consolidated during the 80s and 90s through the relationship with other specialties. In 1999, the interface of Homeopathy and the curriculum guidelines of the Brazilian Ministry of Education justified the inclusion of Homeopathy as a compulsory subject in the medical course at UNIRIO. In 2001 a University program to improve the development of research called “Homeopathy - Health and Quality of Life”, was created to integrate the activities of Teaching, Research and Extension. Aim: To evaluate the relevance of the compulsory teaching of Homeopathy in the medical area at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro – UNIRIO, Brazil. Methods: A prospective longitudinal qualitative and quantitative research was used with semi-structured questionnaires with open and closed questions at the beginning and end of each semester. Undergraduate students from the third year of the UNIRIO Medical Faculty (2008/March till 2009/September) who accepted the “Consent Form”, were included. Students who didn't respond adequately to the questions were excluded. This research was approved and registered at the Brazilian Research Ethics Center. Microsoft Office Excel 2007 used to data collection and analysis. Results: Total number of students attending the course during the four semesters: 304. 70% answered the questionnaires. 60% of the students had heard of homeopathy before attending the homeopathy course (67% as patients, 21% as patients and through media, 6% through media and 6% by other means of contact). 86% consider that homeopathy brought new knowledge to the medical and academic training. 72% consider that this knowledge could be applicable to their future career. Conclusion: Most students aim to learn the guiding principles of homeopathy. Their aim is to know all available treatment, modalities and alternatives to allopathy in medical education. They considered that the learning of Homeopathy is a part of general medical training due to the fact that it has been a recognized medical specialty in Brazil since 1980. The student’s opportunity to learn homeopathy during the undergraduate course in medical schools widens the individuality concept, “the doctor-patient relationship and the holistic vision of the patient”. These results demonstrate the relevance of teaching homeopathy in the medical curriculum and the need to spread the teaching of homeopathy as a compulsory course for all other medical universities.