The Significance of Physical Activity Education: A Survey of Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction Less than 20% of US adults meet physical activity (PA) recommendations, yet few physicians provide consistent PA counseling. There is limited research on the state of education of PA counseling in medical school curricula. The purpose of this study was to analyze medical students’ perspectives on the current state and perceived quality of PA education in medical school. Methods An online survey was administered to the students of nine United States medical schools in January 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze results. Results Of 5500 invited students, 1182 (21.5%) responded. Only 8% of students received any formal training on PA counseling for patient or self-use throughout their medical education. The majority (64% and 85%, respectively) of respondents felt that both learning more about the benefits of PA and gaining more practical skills in counseling on PA should be requirements to graduate. Students across all medical school years agreed that formal training on patient counseling for PA should be taught more in-depth. Conclusions Medical students believe that PA and exercise physiology should comprise more of medical education curricula. Such training may equip students with the tools they believe they need to adequately treat patients effectively throughout their careers.

Physical Activity Promotes Well Being: Medical Students' Engagement and Perspective. A Cross-Sectional Study Scoped Through Innovation and Technology

“…In the realm of medical education, participation of undergraduate medical students in physical activity was extensively studied internationally [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] Yet scientists and medical educators are still assessing various aspects pertaining to their involvement, understanding and active promotion, aiming towards improvement at all domains [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42]. This sheds light on the additional importance related to future doctor's role in physical activity directed healthcare promotion, which remains suboptimal [43][44][45].…”