Traditional alternative and complementary medicine: a review of undergraduate courses and curricula in Peru
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Juan Huaccho-Rojas
,
Leonardo J. Uribe-Cavero
,
Angie Diaz-Mejía
,
Mabel R. Challapa-Mamani
,
Marisella Chumán-Sánchez
,
Oswaldo N. Vite-Gutierrez
,
Jeremy Yauri-Mamani
,
Omar C. Bellota-Segovia
,
Paula Regina Durand-Anahua
,
Yahaira M. Mamani-Ticona
,
Zulema Mamani-Condori
,
Kelly Alarcon-Ore
,
Kevin Anthony Martínez-Solís
,
Jair Noé Navarro-Cahuaza
,
Dante M. Quiñones-Laveriano
und
Martha Villar-López
Abstract
Background
Traditional, Alternative, and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) encompasses a variety of health practices that differ from the conventional medical system, including the use of medicinal herbs and complementary therapies. In Peru, these practices, particularly the use of therapeutic plants, are legally protected and commonly used for treating certain conditions. However, the lack of inclusion of T&CM in medical education puts these practices at risk of disappearing.
Aim
To analyze the inclusion of T&CM courses in the curricula of medical schools in Peru to identify gaps and opportunities for improving medical education and ensuring comprehensive training for future healthcare professionals.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the curricula of 47 Peruvian medical schools. Data on the presence, structure, and content of T&CM courses were extracted and analyzed descriptively.
Results
In 2024, 15 out of 47 Peruvian universities offering Human Medicine programs (31.9 %) included T&CM courses. Among them, 73 % were public institutions, and 53 % were located in coastal regions. The most common topics were Traditional Chinese Medicine (93.3 %), Traditional Peruvian Medicine (87 %), phytotherapy (93 %), and acupuncture (80 %). Course structure varied: 60 % of courses were elective, while 40 % were mandatory. Most universities (93 %) allocated 2–3 academic credits, and 80 % incorporated practical training, though structured field visits were rare (6.7 %). Additionally, 53 % of universities included research activities. The lack of standardized curricular guidelines led to variability in course content and depth across institutions.
Conclusions
Few universities in Peru teach T&CM, highlighting a need to enhance medical education. Increasing T&CM topics in curricula and addressing information access disparities are crucial.
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Research ethics: Not applicable.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: The authors did not use AI-assisted technologies, including large language models, for writing, editing, data analysis, or figure generation in the preparation of this manuscript.
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Conflict of interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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