Inclusion of acupuncture in medical education: systematic review of Brazilian experiences

Abstract: Introduction: Acupuncture aims to ensure energetic balance by means of skin stimulation with the insertion of needles at specific points. It is part of the theoretical-practical knowledge set of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The World Health Organization has been supporting acupuncture educational, research, and knowledge exchange actions all over the world. This study seeks to answer the following research question: “What evidence is there of acupuncture being included in Brazilian medical training?” Objective: To present a systematic review to answer the research question. Method: Systematic review conducted in February 2020, involving a search in the databases PubMed/Medline, Medline/BVS, Lilacs, Homeoindex, Scopus e Scielo for combinations of the following terms in English, Portuguese and Spanish: “complementary and alternative medicine teaching”, “Acupuncture medicine teaching” and “Brazil”. The manuscripts returned by the search were fully evaluated by two researchers to identify relevant discussion themes: acupuncture in Brazil: challenges and perspectives; acupuncture in undergraduate medical training: experiences, perceptions, and challenges; acupuncture medical specialization/residency; scientific publication: importance in Medical Education. Results: The sixteen selected papers were classified according to their objectives, method, results, and conclusions, and discussed based on the identified themes. Conclusion: The study data show that acupuncture is growing in Brazil, with greater publicity and latu sense teaching, with summary participation during undergraduate medical training. It is hoped that public policies focused on the Unified Health System can encourage more investment in teaching for undergraduate training.