Physician Assistant Students' Perceptions and Competencies Concerning Lifestyle Medicine

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Lifestyle Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Lifestyle factors significantly contribute to chronic disease prevalence.
• Physician assistants (PAs) require robust Lifestyle Medicine (LM) competencies.
• Curriculum development is needed to integrate LM into PA training.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess PA students' self-reported skill competencies in exercise and dietary prescription.
• Identify gaps in LM knowledge and training for PA students.
• Inform curriculum implementation for effective LM education.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to physician assistant students at an academic institution.
• Data collected included self-assessments of competence in exercise and nutrition prescription.
• Student perceptions of time allocated to LM in their curriculum were also gathered.

Main Results:

• Students reported moderate competence in exercise/nutrition prescription (e.g., 4.17/6 for physical exam approval).
• Less than 60% of clinical students felt competent in key areas like exercise approval and nutritional planning.
• Only 25% of clinical students felt competent in exercise prescription design, with 84% deeming LM training inadequate.

Conclusions:

• PA students demonstrate insufficient competence and knowledge in Lifestyle Medicine.
• There is a unanimous desire among PA students for increased LM education.
• Curriculum enhancement is crucial to equip future PAs with necessary LM skills.