The Union Health Ministry's Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy has selected two Indian doctors, to conduct a course on Ayurveda in US medical schools.
The 16 medical schools which have accepted to take up the course in Ayurveda are from Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, Dr Navin Shah, Diplomat American Board of Urology and a senior member of American Association of Physicians of Indian origin said.
The doctors -- H S Palep, of Palep's Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, and Tanuja Nesari from Tilak Mahavidyalaya, Pune -- who are specialised in both modern medicine and Ayurveda will conduct the course for American medical students.
It will be done under the guidance of AAPI president Dr Balasubramanaim.
Nesari is currently the head of medicinal plants department, Tilak Ayurvedik College, Pune.
She works on nootropic (memory enhancer) psychotropic preparations as also on evidence based experiential Ayurveda for global acceptance.
Most likely one course per city on a weekend will be held inviting area medical school students, faculty member and practicing physicians.
The professors will not charge any fees for the course.
The local hospitality of the doctors will be taken care by AAPI, Shah said.
This is the first time that Ayurveda course will be provided in number of medical schools in form of a short course covering the important aspects of Ayurveda.
"If this project succeeds there is a good possibility that Ayurveda will be part of the medical curriculum under Complimentary Alternative Medicine," Shah said.
The course will contain basic Principles and Concepts in Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Anatomy and Physiology, Process of Disease Formation (Samprapti), Methods of Diagnosis and Prognosis, Ayurvedic Pharmacology, Treatments: Diet, Lifestyle, Herbs, Specific Diseases and Treatments, Detoxifying and Rejuvenating Therapies (Panchakarma), Yoga, Meditation.