The Use of Medical Simulation in Cupping Therapy Training: A Novel Idea from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Abstract

Simulation has been successfully used since antiquity in medicine, especially for life support training programs. Part-task trainers allow trainees to acquire primary professional skills in a safe environment rather than to be trained for the first time on human beings. Cupping therapy is a traditional modality used to benefit humankind since 1550 B.C and mentioned in the famous Egyptian Ebers Papyrus. In Saudi Arabia, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative  Medicine (NCCAM) in the Ministry of Health  made  pre-licensed cupping training  a mandatory requirement for licensing the practice of wet/dry cupping. There is also a demand for standardization of ancient healing methods like cupping therapy to reduce its side effects and to help traditional medicine integration with modern medicine. Therefore, NCCAM developed a novel idea for cupping training. In the pre-licensed cupping training course provided by NCCAM, our research team found a novel method by using artificial skin for part task-trainer simulation in cupping training field. It will help in developing both trainees' clinical skills, and providing prolonged clinical training hours without stress or any harm that can happen to the volunteers undergoing wet or dry cupping. The NCCAM cupping simulation uses skin model surgical sutured skills training module, brand and Model Number: 45345. Ultimately artificial skin use helps trainees effectively apply cups and use surgical blades in a realistic clinical scenario. Using artificial skin in Complementary and Integrative Medicine training will help cupping trainers by improving and standardizing training programs and allow for safe practice of integrative healthcare. This paper is calls for pre- and post-training design studies to evaluating trainees’ knowledge, attitude, practice, satisfaction, and improved skills in the use of Part-task trainer in cupping therapy training.