FRS 001 — Sec. 011 — (1 unit) — CRN 25998 — T 10:00–10:50am — 5 Wellman
Alternative Medicine — Health or Hoax?

Instructor: Douglas Gross, Departments of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy and Pediatrics, School of Medicine

Description: In recent years a wide range of unconventional therapies has appeared on the public scene. These are offered as “alternative” or “complementary” to mainstream medicine. They include everything from herbal medicines, homeopathy, and aromatherapy to the use of acupuncture, therapeutic touch, prayer at a distance, faith healing, chelation therapy, and “miraculous” cancer cures. We will explore the claims of these alternative therapies, the proposed mechanisms by which they work, and using scientific methods and reasonable criteria, attempt to determine if there is credible support for their safety and efficacy.

Format: The seminar will meet for one hour per week. At each meeting, one student will present information regarding a particular alternative therapy, and this will be the springboard for group discussion. Reading material will be provided prior to each week’s meeting. Students will be allowed to choose their topic from a list to be discussed at the first class meeting. Topics may include, but will not be limited to, acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, chelation therapy, magnetic therapy, aromatherapy, therapeutic touch, naturopathy, herbal remedies, and craniosacral therapy. Grading: Students will be required to prepare a short paper (about 5-10 pages) on one alternative therapy, and will be graded on the basis of this paper (1/3), their presentation of the topic (1/3), and their participation in class discussions (1/3).

About the Instructor: Douglas S. Gross, M.D., Ph.D. has joint appointments in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy. He currently teaches Gross Anatomy and Neuroanatomy to first-year medical students, and Gross Anatomy to upper division undergraduate students. He is also a practicing pediatrician at the UC Davis Medical Center where he does both outpatient and inpatient medicine, and works with third-year medical students, interns and residents. He is the recipient of numerous teaching awards from the School of Medicine, the Department of Pediatrics and the Kaiser Foundation.