Healthy doctors, healthy communities.
Promoting health and eliminating disease are goals of Healthy People 2010, a national initiative for all communities. Physician-directed interventions that advance these principles are most effective when directed by clinicians who regularly participate in such healthy behaviors themselves. This pilot study describes an 8-week intervention, "Well-being for You and Your Patients," for first-year medical students to experience health behavior change. In the 2-hour sessions, students set goals for changing health behavior in 6 dimensions of wellness; report their progress; and enjoy a 30-minute change-of-pace wellness activity. The authors recommend adapting the course for medical student alumni to facilitate health behavior change with small groups of adults, school-age children, teens, and elders in churches, schools, community health centers, and other community-based organizations. Through continuing medical education and Grand Rounds, residents and physicians in practice could also be trained to implement specific behavioral change strategies.
Cameron
Donna
D
Department of Family Medicine, Service-Learning Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA. ddc@georgetown.edu
Katch
Ellen
E
Anderson
Patricia
P
Furlong
Mary A
MA
D001294:Attitude to Health; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003479:Curriculum; D004219:District of Columbia; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology