Mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculum
Abstract Background In 2017, the Bipartisan Policy Center called for inclusion of lifestyle medicine (LM) in undergraduate medical education. Recognizing the requirement that lifestyle medicine should be an integral and integrated part of the curriculum, we undertook an in-depth mapping process to d...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03929-z |
| _version_ | 1797977403262238720 |
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| author | Jumanah Essa-Hadad Mary CJ Rudolf Noah Mani Lilach Malatskey |
| author_facet | Jumanah Essa-Hadad Mary CJ Rudolf Noah Mani Lilach Malatskey |
| author_sort | Jumanah Essa-Hadad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background In 2017, the Bipartisan Policy Center called for inclusion of lifestyle medicine (LM) in undergraduate medical education. Recognizing the requirement that lifestyle medicine should be an integral and integrated part of the curriculum, we undertook an in-depth mapping process to determine the extent of LM teaching at our Faculty, staff perceptions and the impact on medical students. Methods The study utilized mixed methodology. In Phase 1 (Mapping) structured analysis of course syllabi were conducted followed by observation of teaching sessions throughout the pre-clinical and clinical years, recording content, the degree of coverage, and time allocated to LM Medicine. In Phase 2 (Impact and perceptions), students’ attitudes and confidence in LM counselling were ascertained by questionnaire (scale 1–4) on completion of second and fourth year of studies. Interviews were conducted with course coordinators. Results Phase 1: Students received 58 hours of LM teaching, 49 hours pre-clinical and 9 clinical; 42 hours were dedicated to theoretical knowledge and 16 hours to teaching practical skills related to lifestyle behavior change. Nutrition received the most attention (18 hours), alcohol, sleep, smoking and sexuality the least. On completion of the internal medicine rotation, students (n = 48) agreed that LM guidance should be part of the physician’s role and that patients expected their physicians to be role models (mean ± sd; 3.4 ± 0.7). Students were fairly confident about providing general LM counselling (3.3 ± 1.1); but less so for exercise (3.0 ± 1.2), nutrition (2.7 ± 1.1), stress (2.5 ± 1.0), sleep (2.2 ± 1.2), and sexuality (2.1 ± 1.2). Staff recognized the importance of LM but reported time limitations and the need to bring in external experts to teach LM as challenges. Conclusions Real-time mapping of teaching is a valuable way to ascertain teaching in practice. Based on our mapping process, redesign of curricula is needed to integrate more competency-based, experiential teaching, particularly in the clinical years. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:06:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ecb671f435a442a8d83abc3c9f8281f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:06:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ecb671f435a442a8d83abc3c9f8281f2022-12-25T12:20:11ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202022-12-012211910.1186/s12909-022-03929-zMapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculumJumanah Essa-Hadad0Mary CJ Rudolf1Noah Mani2Lilach Malatskey3Department of Population Health, Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan UniversityDepartment of Population Health, Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan UniversityDepartment of Population Health, Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan UniversityDepartment of Population Health, Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan UniversityAbstract Background In 2017, the Bipartisan Policy Center called for inclusion of lifestyle medicine (LM) in undergraduate medical education. Recognizing the requirement that lifestyle medicine should be an integral and integrated part of the curriculum, we undertook an in-depth mapping process to determine the extent of LM teaching at our Faculty, staff perceptions and the impact on medical students. Methods The study utilized mixed methodology. In Phase 1 (Mapping) structured analysis of course syllabi were conducted followed by observation of teaching sessions throughout the pre-clinical and clinical years, recording content, the degree of coverage, and time allocated to LM Medicine. In Phase 2 (Impact and perceptions), students’ attitudes and confidence in LM counselling were ascertained by questionnaire (scale 1–4) on completion of second and fourth year of studies. Interviews were conducted with course coordinators. Results Phase 1: Students received 58 hours of LM teaching, 49 hours pre-clinical and 9 clinical; 42 hours were dedicated to theoretical knowledge and 16 hours to teaching practical skills related to lifestyle behavior change. Nutrition received the most attention (18 hours), alcohol, sleep, smoking and sexuality the least. On completion of the internal medicine rotation, students (n = 48) agreed that LM guidance should be part of the physician’s role and that patients expected their physicians to be role models (mean ± sd; 3.4 ± 0.7). Students were fairly confident about providing general LM counselling (3.3 ± 1.1); but less so for exercise (3.0 ± 1.2), nutrition (2.7 ± 1.1), stress (2.5 ± 1.0), sleep (2.2 ± 1.2), and sexuality (2.1 ± 1.2). Staff recognized the importance of LM but reported time limitations and the need to bring in external experts to teach LM as challenges. Conclusions Real-time mapping of teaching is a valuable way to ascertain teaching in practice. Based on our mapping process, redesign of curricula is needed to integrate more competency-based, experiential teaching, particularly in the clinical years.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03929-zLifestyle medicineLifestyle curriculumLifestyle medicine teaching, curriculum mapping, medical education |
| spellingShingle | Jumanah Essa-Hadad Mary CJ Rudolf Noah Mani Lilach Malatskey Mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculum BMC Medical Education Lifestyle medicine Lifestyle curriculum Lifestyle medicine teaching, curriculum mapping, medical education |
| title | Mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculum |
| title_full | Mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculum |
| title_fullStr | Mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculum |
| title_short | Mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education: a lever for enhancing the curriculum |
| title_sort | mapping lifestyle medicine in undergraduate medical education a lever for enhancing the curriculum |
| topic | Lifestyle medicine Lifestyle curriculum Lifestyle medicine teaching, curriculum mapping, medical education |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03929-z |
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