Anu Räisänen, director of HealthEU Initiatives and assistant professor, has co-authored an article advocating for the integration of lifestyle medicine competencies into the education of future clinicians. Published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, the article emphasizes the importance of empowering healthcare professionals with the skills to prevent, manage, and reverse lifestyle-related chronic conditions. The research details the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Partial Academic Pathway program, which aims to incorporate lifestyle medicine content into various graduate level health professions programs. By integrating lifestyle medicine into curricula, the authors believe that patient outcomes can improve, healthcare costs can decrease, and clinician satisfaction can be enhanced. Räisänen and her colleagues highlight the role of physical and occupational therapists in promoting health and managing lifestyle-related conditions. They provide examples of how lifestyle medicine competencies have been implemented in different programs, including a case study from a doctor of physical therapy curriculum. The article underscores the potential of lifestyle medicine to transform healthcare education and practice by preparing future healthcare professionals to address chronic diseases using evidence-based lifestyle interventions. By focusing on the six pillars of lifestyle medicine – nutrition, physical activity, stress management, restorative sleep, social connection, and avoidance of risky substances – clinicians can provide more comprehensive and effective care to their patients.
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