Final answer:
Conventional Western medical practice, also known as biomedicine, is grounded in Western science and utilizes scientifically tested cures. It coexists with other ethnomedical systems in a form of medical pluralism, allowing for a hybrid healthcare model that encompasses a broader range of cultural knowledge and treatments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conventional Western medical practice is known as biomedicine, an ethnomedical system that is deeply influenced by the cultural system of Western science, drawing heavily from biology and biochemistry. Professionals in biomedicine rely on scientifically tested cures and clinical trials guided by the scientific method. However, it is important to note that this system is not free from cultural influences, such as systemic prejudices like racism and classism that can impact its effectiveness and sometimes perpetuate health inequalities.
In Western cultures, medical pluralism is evident, with other ethnomedical systems coexisting alongside biomedicine. For instance, traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine are available in many metropolitan areas, representing the different health subcultures within a society. The Hippocratic Oath, often associated with the values of biomedicine, dates back to the Greek physician Hippocrates, who is considered the “father of Western medicine” and posited that diseases have natural causes.
Despite its dominance, the effectiveness of biomedicine can be complemented by alternative ethnomedical systems, leading to a hybrid model of healthcare. This model allows patients to choose the treatments they believe will best help them, integrating various forms of healing and cultural knowledge, thus creating a more comprehensive approach to healthcare.