Medical students’ knowledge and attitudes towards integrative care with traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, a novel botanical preparation of traditional Chinese medicine was developed and officially recommended for treating mild COVID-19 cases in Taiwan. This study examined the perceptions of integrative care combining Western and Chinese medicine in Taiwanese medical students. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in April and May 2020 among first- to fourth-year medical undergraduates to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the use of Chinese medicine in integrative health care. In total, 396 out of 668 medical students (59.3%) responded to the survey, including 255 students who had participated in at least 1 elective Chinese medicine course, with the most common courses being "Introduction to Chinese Medicine" (86.3%) and "Chinese Medical Physiology" (47.1%). These 255 students scored higher on the knowledge scale (P < .001) and positive attitude scale (P = .002) in terms of Chinese medicine utilization compared with 141 undergraduates who did not participate in any Chinese medicine courses. Most students reported that they would collect their patients' Chinese medicine history (63.4%) and the concurrent use of Western and Chinese medications (72.5%). Among Taiwanese medical students, those who completed an elective Chinese medicine course demonstrated high levels basic knowledge, positive attitudes towards Chinese medicine utilization, and proactive engagement in integrative care involving both Western and Chinese medicine.