Improving South African medical curricula related to traditional health systems

Background. Increased co-ordination and co-operation between traditional biomedical health systems in South Africa (SA) is a national priority. To improve care, practitioners both must learn to recognise the value of their parallel counterparts, such lessons should begin medical school. However, there little research regarding way which SA’s students are taught interact with medicine (TM) system. Objectives. explore how SA perceive curriculum as it relates system describe suggestions for improvement. Methods. We conducted individual in-depth interviews focus group discussions 43 final-year across 3 schools. applied thematic analysis our understanding student-reported experiences TM school curricula. Results. All schools rely heavily on hidden curricula educate These largely negative learnt primarily from witnessing faculty-client interactions involving use. Students institutions agree that this problematic deficit formal teaching contributes incompetence treating patients who use TM. Their improvement focused around themes: (i) fundamentals system; (ii) empathising patient TM; (iii) promoting broader structural integration two systems. Conclusion. Medical increased exposure education surrounding Future curricular interventions increasing TM, directly addressing related topic, instituting policies initiatives healing paradigms level.