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Israel Journal of Health Policy Research
Published in: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Original research article

Medical students as health coaches: Implementation of a student-initiated Lifestyle Medicine curriculum

Authors: Rani Polak, Adi Finkelstein, Tom Axelrod, Marie Dacey, Matan Cohen, Dennis Muscato, Avi Shariv, Naama W Constantini, Mayer Brezis

Published in: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

By 2020, the World Health Organization predicts that two-thirds of all diseases worldwide will be the result of lifestyle choices. Physicians often do not counsel patients about healthy behaviors, and lack of training has been identified as one of the barriers. Between 2010 and 2014, Hebrew University developed and implemented a 58-h Lifestyle Medicine curriculum spanning five of the 6 years of medical school. Content includes nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation, and behavior change, as well as health coaching practice with friends/relatives (preclinical years) and patients (clinical years). This report describes this development and diffusion process, and it also presents findings related to the level of acceptance of this student-initiated Lifestyle Medicine (LM) curriculum.

Methods

Students completed an online semi-structured questionnaire after the first coaching session (coaching questionnaire) and the last coaching session (follow-up questionnaire).

Results

Nine hundred and twenty-three students completed the coaching questionnaire (296 practices were with patients, 627 with friends /relatives); and 784 students completed the follow-up questionnaire (208 practices were with patients, 576 with friends /relatives). They reported overall that health coaching domains included smoking cessation (263 students), nutrition (79), and exercise (117); 464 students reported on combined topics. Students consistently described a high acceptance of the curriculum and their active role in coaching. Further, most students reported that they were eager to address their own health behaviors.

Conclusions

We described the development and acceptance of a student-initiated comprehensive LM curriculum. Students perceived LM as an important component of physicians’ professional role and were ready to explore it both as coaches and in their personal lives. Thus, medical school deans might consider developing similar initiatives in order to position medical schools as key players within a preventive strategy in healthcare policy.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Medical students as health coaches: Implementation of a student-initiated Lifestyle Medicine curriculum
Authors
Rani Polak
Adi Finkelstein
Tom Axelrod
Marie Dacey
Matan Cohen
Dennis Muscato
Avi Shariv
Naama W Constantini
Mayer Brezis
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Israel Journal of Health Policy Research / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 2045-4015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-017-0167-y

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