O2054: Introducing Ayurveda in Medical School as a Tool for Both Patient and Physician Wellbeing

Background: Ayurveda is a holistic approach to health. Originating 5000 years ago, Ayurveda evolved in parallel with yoga. Yoga’s rising popularity has kindled interest in Ayurvedic medicine outside of India. As with allopathic and osteopathic medicine, Ayurvedic specialists spend years training and refining their practice. With its emphasis on preventative health, Ayurveda’s therapeutic applications complement Western practices.

Ayurveda teaches that wellbeing comes from balance. Disease is prevented by attention to circadian rhythms, diet, movement, recovery, and breath. Ayurveda’s lessons can benefit both patients and physicians who may struggle with long-lasting wellness.

Methods: “Introduction to Ayurvedic Medicine” was offered as a new elective for second-year medical students. Intended to be experiential, this course included didactics, discussion, and activities. Using Ayurveda's framework, students learned to use circadian rhythms, diet, movement, recovery, and breath to find balance. Evidence-based principles from Western medicine demonstrated how Ayurvedic and Western practices overlap and complement each other.

Sessions were as follows:
1. Elements and Doshas
2. Ayurvedic Yoga
3. Daily & Seasonal Rituals for Balance
4. Meditation, Pranayama, & Relaxation
5. Meal Planning & Nutrition
6. Self-Appraisal & Share Backs
7. Problem-Based Learning
8. Nature and Balance
9. Patient Cases
10. Six Tastes of Ayurveda

Because of restrictions with the pandemic, this elective was limited to 8 students by lottery in the fall of 2021 and 2022.

Before the course and after completion, students were surveyed using a seven-point Likert scale to measure agreement with the following:
1) I understand basic principles of Ayurvedic medicine.
2) I have the tools to incorporate Ayurveda into my wellness routines.
3) I use tools from Ayurveda in my wellness routines.
4) Ayurvedic medicine can be used in conjunction with allopathic medicine to care for patients.
5) I have the tools to incorporate Ayurveda into my patients’ plans of care.
6) I feel comfortable incorporating Ayurvedic principles in my patients’ plans of care.
7) I have used or plan to use tools from Ayurveda in my patients’ plans of care.

Results: All students participated in 100% of the sessions. Survey completion was 100%. Prior to starting the course, most students reported strong disagreement, disagreement, or neutrality to the 6 of the 7 measures. Regarding that remaining measure, no one disagreed that Ayurvedic medicine can be used in conjunction with allopathic medicine. Significant practice changes were reported for all 7 measures, with most students reporting agreement or strong agreement after completion of the course.

Conclusion: At our school of medicine, students are receptive to integrative medicine. After completing an introductory course on Ayurveda, this group of medical students reported significant improvements in the principles of Ayurveda with plans to integrate these lessons into their patients' and their own care and wellbeing.