In Bangladesh, a large portion of the population relies on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for managing health issues. Despite rising interest in CAM, it has largely been absent from mainstream medical education in the country for many years. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the knowledge, attitudes, perceived effectiveness, and self-use of CAM among undergraduate students in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out among undergraduate students (medical and non-medical) in Bangladesh from November to December 2021. Data were gathered via a pretested, semi-structured online self-administered questionnaire. The survey included questions on participants’ background, CAM knowledge, sources of CAM information, attitudes toward CAM, interest in learning about CAM, perceived efficacy and side effects, self-practice, and willingness to recommend CAM. A total of 576 students responded, allowing analysis of: (1) participant characteristics, (2) overall CAM knowledge and perceptions, and (3) comparisons of CAM knowledge, attitudes, and practices between medical and non-medical students. Data analysis was conducted in STATA (v.16) using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square, and Mann-Whitney U tests. The study included 329 medical and 247 non-medical students, with a mean age of 21.57 ± 1.8 years; 56.2% were male. The most familiar CAM method for medical students was homeopathy (44.6%), while for non-medical students it was herbal medicine (45.7%). Non-medical students demonstrated significantly higher knowledge in nine out of twelve CAM modalities; the remaining three showed no significant difference. Perceived effectiveness was highest for traditional Chinese medicine (81.1%) among medical students and homeopathy (86.2%) among non-medical students. The statement “Incorporating CAM with conventional medicine would result in increased patient satisfaction” showed the most significant difference between groups (p = 0.0002). Yoga was most commonly practiced among medical students, whereas homeopathy was most practiced among non-medical students. Although CAM is widely practiced in Bangladesh, medical students exhibit limited knowledge but generally hold positive attitudes toward it. Thus, integrating CAM education into medical curricula should be prioritized.
