title: Enabling tomorrow's doctors to address obesity in a GP consultation: an action research project.
abstract: Obesity is a leading risk factor for morbidity and mortality, however, guidelines for prevention and management are relatively recently established. Little is known about what needs to be in place to put these into practice. This research provides an insight into how senior medical students consult with obese patients in general practice, the range of their learning needs, and the impact of various educational strategies that aim to bring their practice closer to current evidence-based guidelines. It centres on a series of compulsory but formative reflective case studies written by final year students at one large medical school on their GP rotation as they consult independently with obese patients with 'next room' GP tutor support. Analysis of these case studies was used to inform a three-year educational action research project. By systematically identifying and addressing learning needs, including barriers and enablers to best practice, we have demonstrated how senior medical students, and their GP tutors, can acquire the role legitimacy and role competency required for effective practice.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences , King's College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Kathleen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Leedham-Green
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine , King's College London GKT School of Medical Education, Guy's Campus , London , UK.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pound
authors.affiliation: a Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences , King's College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wylie
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004739:England; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013337:Students, Medical
keywords: Obesity; behaviour change; general practice; health promotion; medical education; primary care