On the other hand, other schools have almost no provision for teaching CAM or only briefly mention CAM during lectures on much broader subjects such as Society and Medicine, therefore leaving the task of finding out about CAM to the individual student's initiative. We recommend that every medical school ensures that all their medical undergraduates are exposed to a level of CAM familiarisation that makes them aware of the choices their patients might make. We suggest that all medical schools should consider whether or not to make available optional Special Study Modules in CAM for those students with a particular interest in this area. The drive to raise awareness among medical students about CAM is relatively new, so most qualified medical practitioners will not have touched on this subject in their undergraduate training. In order that existing doctors are aware of this area and can advise their patients on their choices, it has been suggested that CAM familiarisation should be included in the Continuing Professional Development of doctors.
Similar arguments apply to dentists and veterinary surgeons.
This knowledge is particularly important for GPs, since they are the health practitioners most likely to provide continuity of care. However, none of the Royal Colleges we have heard from discussed this as an activity they are either encouraging or considering. The British Dental Homeopathic Association pointed out that most dental patients attend for regular examinations which do not always involve any treatment. This places the dental practitioner with an interest in CAM in an ideal situation to discuss aspects of CAM which are related to dentistry. Advice on nutrition is a good example as oral health is directly related to diet.