The teaching of acupuncture in the University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil

Acupuncture, one of the main therapeutic techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has gained growing recognition in Brazil and worldwide. In the country, this ancient practice obtained medical specialty status in 1995, reflecting its growing acceptance in the scientific community. Despite this official recognition, for many years acupuncture teaching was not part of basic medical training in Brazil, creating an important gap in the education of future professionals. This situation began to change in the early 2000s, when some medical schools began to include the teaching of non-conventional practices in their curricula, recognizing the need to prepare more well-rounded physicians who are open to different therapeutic approaches.

The University of São Paulo School of Medicine (FMUSP) was a pioneer in this change by introducing, in 2002, two elective courses focused on non-conventional medical practices: homeopathy and acupuncture. The aim of the study in question was to assess the interest, acceptance, and impact of the acupuncture course among USP medical students. The researchers sought to understand whether this complementary training really contributed to improving the competencies and skills of future physicians, offering them a broader perspective on the available therapeutic possibilities. The methodology used was relatively simple but effective: between 2002 and 2007, all students who took the elective acupuncture course were invited to answer a detailed questionnaire.

This questionnaire addressed fundamental aspects such as the perceived quality of the course, the students' ability to recommend acupuncture as a therapeutic option, the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine concepts in clinical reasoning, the sense of preparedness to apply acupuncture, and the influence of the course on the choice of future specialty and on general medical training.

The results obtained were extremely encouraging and revealed surprising data about students' interest in this therapeutic approach. Of the 249 students who completed the course during the study period, 183 were contacted and 85 effectively participated in the survey. On average, 24.9 students completed the course each semester, representing approximately 28% of all seventh- and eighth-semester students available to take it. The quality of the course was exceptionally well rated: an impressive 98% of students classified it as good or very good, an approval rate rarely observed in academic settings.

In addition, 85% of participants considered themselves at least partially capable of using acupuncture in their future practice, and 79% stated that the course positively influenced their medical training. A particularly interesting finding was that virtually all students (99%) felt qualified to recommend acupuncture as a therapeutic option, even without being specialists in the area. In 2004, the Academic Medical Acupuncture League was created, offering complementary two-year training for the most interested students, with only eight slots per semester that are consistently filled, demonstrating genuine interest in the field.

The clinical implications of these findings are significant for both patients and healthcare professionals. For patients, having physicians with basic knowledge of acupuncture means a greater possibility of receiving appropriate referrals for this therapy when indicated, in addition to professionals who are more open to dialogue about integrative practices. This may result in more personalized and holistic care, considering different therapeutic approaches according to individual needs. For professionals, training in acupuncture expands the therapeutic repertoire and develops a more integrated view of medicine, allowing better communication with specialist colleagues and greater understanding of the needs of patients who seek complementary treatments.

The study also suggests that the inclusion of courses on integrative practices can significantly enrich medical training, preparing more well-rounded professionals adapted to contemporary health demands. The high approval rate and interest demonstrated by students indicate that there is a real demand for this type of knowledge in basic medical training.

It is important to recognize the limitations of this study for an adequate interpretation of its results. The survey participation rate was only 46% of eligible students, which may have introduced selection bias, since students more satisfied with the course were probably more likely to participate. In addition, the assessments were based on self-reports, which may overestimate students' actual competencies in acupuncture. The study also did not include objective assessments of acquired skills nor did it follow the effective use of these competencies in subsequent professional practice.

Despite these limitations, the results are consistent and point in a clear direction: there is genuine interest among medical students in learning about acupuncture, and this training is perceived as valuable for their professional development. The fact that nearly 30% of students voluntarily chose this elective course, and some opted for additional two-year training, demonstrates that acupuncture has an important place in modern medical education. This pioneering study in the Brazilian context offers solid evidence for the inclusion of courses on integrative practices in medical curricula, contributing to the training of professionals better prepared for the contemporary demands of medicine.