Fit for Health? Levels of Physical Activity Among Preclinical and Clinical Medical Students

Physical, mental, and emotional wellness are just some avenues to maintain a person's overall well-being. These components of wellness influence each other; mental wellness is known to be affected by physical wellness. Physical wellness in the form of regular exercise stands as a method to mitigate the high rates of depression and burnout among medical students. This study examines the levels of physical activity among preclinical and clinical medical students. This is an observational, non-randomized study with data collection over one month. Fifty-nine percent of students surveyed met the CDC recommendation for exercise. The major reason to exercise was to improve mental health, with 37% of respondents citing this as a motivator. For those who did not meet the physical activity recommendation, lack of time was cited in 75% of respondents. Greater knowledge of prevention methods, risk factors, and outcomes of chronic health conditions may contribute to higher physical activity levels among medical students compared to the general population. Emphasizing exercise and physical wellness campaigns may be a solution for medical schools to improve the overall wellness of their students.