Lifestyle Medicine involves the use of evidence-based lifestyle therapeutic approaches, such as a predominantly whole food, plant-based diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substance use, and pursuit of other non-drug modalities, to treat, reverse and prevent chronic disease
Lifestyle Medicine Elective
This elective is designed for residents interested in learning how non-pharmaceutical, lifestyle interventions impact overall health including treating and reversing chronic diseases. As outpatient providers, family physicians manage chronic disease daily. At times, they feel frustrated at their lack of experience and knowledge based treating the root causes with evidence based lifestyle interventions. Completion of a rotation in Lifestyle Medicine with various experts will increase the resident’s knowledge and competence in non-pharmacologic and non-surgical management of chronic conditions. For the resident who plans to pursue lifestyle medicine board certification, this opportunity is important to prepare them for their career goals.
This 4 week lifestyle medicine elective is available to all PGY2 and PGY3 residents interested in learning more about Lifestyle Medicine. The resident does not have to be participating in the Lifestyle Medicine Area of Concentration. The elective includes working with Lifestyle Medicine physicians in a broad spectrum of settings including primary care, geriatrics, obesity medicine, endocrinology, and neurology. In addition, residents may have 1-2 sessions of their own clinic that are predominately lifestyle medicine focused visits. These sessions are designed and precepted with Dr. Nakaishi. Residents may also have 1-2 individual Lifestyle learning sessions with Dr. Nakaishi on lifestyle medicine topics of their choice.
Lifestyle Medicine Area of Concentration
UPMC St. Margaret offers a Lifestyle Medicine Area of Concentration, as a 2-3 year program in which a resident completes the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum (LMRC). The LMRC is a comprehensive, applicable, and flexible curriculum designed for integrated implementation into medical residency programs. Educational components include 40 hours of didactic material, 60 hours of practicum application, and 400 lifestyle medicine patient encounters. Upon completion of both the educational and practicum components of the curriculum, residents will be qualified for the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine certification exam.
Each LM-AOC resident will be sponsored by the designated faculty lead to ensure the resident achieves their personal learning goals and those of the LMRC-AOC. Meetings occur quarterly.
Didactic Learning:
Residents complete the following 10 learning modules constituting 40 hours of didactic material. Content may be studied asynchronously or via regularly scheduled resident lectures. Content access will be provided for asynchronous study.
- Introduction to Lifestyle Medicine (2 Units, 4 hr.)
- Role of Physician Health and the Physician’s Personal Health (2 Units, 4 hr.)
- Nutrition Science, Assessment and Prescription (10 Units, 26 hr.)
- Physical Activity Science and Prescription (6 Units, 14 hr.)
- Sleep Health Science and Interventions (3 Units, 8 hr.)
- Managing Tobacco Cessation and Other Toxic Exposures (3 Units, 8 hr.)
- Fundamentals of Health Behavioral Change (4 Units, 10 hr.)
- Key Clinical Processes in Lifestyle Medicine (3 Units, 8 hr.)
- Emotional and Mental Well-Being Assessment and Interventions (4 Units, 10 hr.)
- The Role of Connectedness and Positive Psychology (3 Units, 8 hr.)
Application Activities:
Residents complete 60 hours of independent application activities. Activities may be selected from any community, private or professional activity within the 6 core domains of Lifestyle Medicine: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, healthy relationships, and avoidance of risky substances. Activity completion is submitted for review and tracking. Any proposed activity may be submitted for consideration. Suggested activities may include:
- Nutrition
- Teaching Kitchen training or participation
- Nutritional/Dietician/Chef Observation
- Physical Activity
- Athletic Trainer Observation
- Any organized community athletic event
- Personal physical fitness (Max 10 hours claimed)
- Emotional & Mental Wellbeing (Stress management & Healthy relationships)
- Motivational Interviewing training or practice
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy training or practice
- Any organized residency social activity
- Sleep
- Sleep physician or lab observation
- Tobacco & Toxic Substances
- MAT Clinic patient care
- Any addiction/substance use treatment program
Practicum Time:
Residents complete a minimum of 400 documented precepted patient encounters incorporating the following specific domains of lifestyle medicine interventions:
- Nutrition – 40 minimum
- Physical Activity – 40 minimum
- Emotional & Mental Wellbeing, Sleep, & Connectedness – 40 minimum
- Tobacco & Toxic Substances – 30 minimum
Encounters may include regularly scheduled phone, virtual or in-person visits during any precepted session at a continuity practice site. Encounter completion are tracked and submitted for review.
- Additional 40 hours of Intensive Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (ITLC) Program Participation and/or observation
- Additional 40 hours of Support or Coaching Group observation, recording &/or facilitation
Longitudinal Project:
A pre-approved longitudinal project is completed prior to graduation. This may overlap with the required community medicine project and elective opportunities. Consideration of Family Health Center based, quality or process improvement projects regarding Lifestyle Medicine practice implementation will be encouraged.
Critical Appraisal:
Each LMRC-AOC participant will present ONE critical appraisal of an article related to Lifestyle Medicine and lead associated discussion. Presentation may be made in any journal club or UPMC St. Margaret educational context.
Competency Based:
Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum (LMRC) completion is designed to meet all competency objectives of the education pathway for board eligibility to the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. Overview of the LMRC may be found here: https://lifestylemedicine.org/residency-curriculum
Summary Letter:
Each participant receives a certificate acknowledging additional training in Lifestyle Medicine upon graduation. Residents completing all program requirements will be qualified to sit for the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine certification exam and following a passing score, certified a Lifestyle Medicine Physician.