Additional interventions designed to improve physicians' lifestyles and personal health behaviors should be encouraged. A focus on creating healthy lifestyles will benefit physicians as much as the general population.

Background Limited research exists on medical students’ substance use patterns including over-consumption of alcohol. Objective To determine prevalence and correlates of at-risk drinking among a national sample of medical students. Design Cross-sectional, anonymous, web-based survey. 2710 medical students from 36 U.S. medical schools (1st – 4th year) completed the survey. Included in the instruments was a 10-item scale (AUDIT) to assess at-risk drinking behaviors within the last 12 months. Results Over 15% of the subjects (n= 412) scored positive for at-risk drinking (8≥). Multivariate analysis of the data revealed the following independent predictors were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) for at-risk drinking: being of younger age, male, unmarried, using illicit drugs, smoking tobacco products within the last 30 days, having low perception of risk, showing impulsive behavior, being depressed, and having gambling problems. Conclusions Findings from this study provides initial data for investigating further associations between risky drinking behavior, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors, as well as effectiveness of curriculum or campus wide policy interventions to reduce over-consumption of drinking among this population.

Students are able to conduct and present a primary care research project as a requirement of their medical training. Most students find the experience beneficial and positive.

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The Problem Charles R. Drew University (CDU) and community partners wanted to create a structure to transcend traditional community–academic partnerships. They wanted community leaders integrated into CDU’s research goals and education of medical professionals. Purpose of Article To explain the establishment of the Community Faculty Program, a new model of community–academic partnership that integrates community and academic knowledge. Key Points Using CBPR principles, CDU and community partners re-conceptualized the faculty appointment process and established the Division of Community Engagement (DCE). CDU initially offered academic appointments to nine community leaders. Community Faculty contributes to CDU’s governance, education, research, and publication goals. This model engaged communities in translational research and transformed the education of future healthcare professionals. Conclusion The Community Faculty Program is a new vision of partnership. Using a CBPR approach with committed partners, a Community Faculty Program can be created that embodies the values of both the community and the academy.