254525 Western students meet Eastern medicine: Impact of study abroad experience on perceptions of Chinese culture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Sara Plaspohl, DrPH, CHES , Department of Health Sciences, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, GA
The study-abroad experience offers students the opportunity to broaden their knowledge on other cultures, including an expansion of their perspectives on traditional methods to promote health and wellness. This presentation will profile lessons learned by college health professions students during a recent 14-day study abroad trip to China to study traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It will demonstrate the value of this type of cultural enrichment to enhance the education experience and personal/professional knowledge acquired through the traditional classroom setting.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Clinical medicine applied in public health
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related education
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss health professions students’ views of healthcare in China after their study abroad experience. 2. Describe health professions students’ assessment of educational benefits resulting from cultural immersion experience to China. 3. Discuss how health professions students plan to utilize newly-acquired TCM knowledge and cultural experiences to enrich their continued education and practice.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, International Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I served as one of three faculty leaders on the study abroad trip to China as reported in this presentation.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 2063.0: Education, Practice, Quality, Training, and Other Special Aspects in Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Health Practices: Poster Session