FOUNDATIONS OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE

An introductory curriculum for medical students

Chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease are the leading causes of death in the United States and around the world. The good news is that approximately 80% of chronic conditions can be prevented or reversed with simple lifestyle measures. It is more important the ever before for future healthcare professionals to be skilled in working with patients to prevent, treat and reverse chronic disease.

Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine for Medical Students is a comprehensive curriculum designed to help students learn about the role of lifestyle factors in preventing and treating chronic diseases. This thoughtfully-developed document is now available as a free resource for educators to download and use!

Foundations provides an overview of each of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine as well as a special focus on understanding the principles and practice of behavior change. Particular attention is given to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, given the magnitude of the chronic disease burden they constitute.

Three documents are available for faculty, residents or students interested in teaching and include a:

Main document with readings, activities and discussion questions
Handy spreadsheet that summarizes literature presented in the course
Suggested structure that outlines a full elective offering

The curriculum is structured so that instructors can use it as a whole to create a 2 or 4-week elective offering. Alternatively, sections can be easily extracted if only a couple of hours are available to introduce lifestyle medicine concepts.

Testimonials

Padmaja Patel, MD, FACLM, dipACLM

Vice-President, World Lifestyle Medicine Organization

“Dr. Bansal's work fills the gaping void in lifestyle medicine education for medical students. Lifestyle medicine encompasses evidence-based practices that empower individuals to make healthier choices and address the chronic disease burden. By incorporating this comprehensive approach into the medical curriculum, medical students will be equipped with invaluable knowledge and skills to impact their patient's lives and the healthcare system positively.”

Beth Frates, MD, FACLM, dipACLM

President, American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Clinical Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School

“This is an impactful resource for medical school faculty and students looking to learn more about lifestyle medicine in a 10 day period. It is packed with evidence based material and research articles for resources. Engaging the students and challenging them to teach their fellow students helps to sharpen their presentation skills, communication skills, and organizational skills. This elective is a gift to the field of lifestyle medicine.”

April Wilson, MD, MPH, FACPM

Chair, Preventive Medicine, Loma Linda University

“This lifestyle medicine elective has the critical elements of a strong evidence base coupled with personal and practical skill development that will provide a solid foundation for future practice. Faculty or students wanting to help create a more sustainable future in health care will find this course extremely useful!”

Go to the Curriculum Page