Integrative veterinary medical education and consensus guidelines for an integrative veterinary medicine curriculum within veterinary colleges

Integrative veterinary medicine (IVM) describes the combination of complementary and alternative therapies with conventional care and is guided by the best available evidence. Veterinarians frequently encounter questions about complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) in practice, and the general public has demonstrated increased interest in these areas for both human and animal health. Consequently, veterinary students should receive adequate exposure to the principles, theories, and current knowledge supporting or refuting such techniques. A proposed curriculum guideline would broadly introduce students to the objective evaluation of new veterinary treatments while increasing their preparation for responding to questions about IVM in clinical practice. Such a course should be evidence-based, unbiased, and unaffiliated with any particular CAVM advocacy or training group. All IVM courses require routine updating as new information becomes available. Controversies regarding IVM and CAVM must be addressed within the course and throughout the entire curriculum. Instructional honesty regarding the uncertainties in this emerging field is critical. Increased training of future veterinary professionals in IVM may produce an openness to new ideas that characterizes the scientific method and a willingness to pursue and incorporate evidence-based medicine in clinical practice with all therapies, including those presently regarded as integrative, complementary, or alternative.

Use of puppets in a residence for the elderly

Creative Arts Coordinator Janice McMurray, on the staff of the Hermitage Methodist Home in Richmond, VA, uses puppets as a communication tool with elderly health-care patients. While puppet variety shows based on musical routines and religious parables improve communication between active residents and nursing unit residents, even the simplest puppet has a role to play at the Hermitage. McMurray uses "basic form" puppets, which express feelings nonverbally to help patients incapable of speaking. Sock puppets [see clarification farther into this article] assist Alzheimer's and other confused patients to communicate in small groups. Larger puppets, made by the residents themselves, go "on the road" with stage and props. The residents take pride in their puppet characterizations (one puppet represents a Hermitage Home board member) or particular contributions (a blind patient makes puppet hair). "Puppets help people in an institutional setting to maintain their personhood," says McMurray. "I use them to bring people to life."