The Effects of Elective Sports Medicine Internship on Physical Activity Counselling Attitude of Medical Students
Gürhan Dönmez
, Şeyma Torğutalp, Melda Pelin Yargıç, Yiğitcan Karanfil, Naila Babayeva, Haydar Ali Demirel
Sports Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Keywords: Physical activity; exercise, sports medicine; education; curriculum
Abstract
Objective: The increase in physical activity (PA) and exercise prescription is crucial in the prevention of chronic diseases. However, it is well known that the lack of physicians' knowledge is an obstacle toward promoting PA. In this present study, medical students’ (MS) knowledge and perception regarding PA and exercise prescription were evaluated.
Materials and Methods: After a two-week elective internship program in sports medicine, a total of 65.7% of the 216 fifth-year MS (n=142; mean age, 24.2 years), were included in this study. Students completed several questionnaire forms regarding their knowledge of PA counseling and sports medicine, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) form and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).
Results: During five years of medical education, more than two-thirds of the students (69.1%) had neither any discussion regarding PA counselling, nor exercise prescription. MS stated that after two weeks of the educational program, they felt sufficient knowledge to advise on PA and the rate increased to 76.8% from one-fourth at the beginning (p<0.001). Nearly all of the students (93.7%) affirmed that they believed in the benefits of PA counselling at the end of the educational program. MS who were more prone to PA counselling had significantly higher IPAQ and SF-36 scores (p=0.006 and p=0.007, respectively).
Conclusion: Our results indicated that lack of knowledge is a barrier in exercise counselling for MS as future physicians. Along with the aforementioned, an important aspect of counseling PA to patients is a higher level of PA behavior among MS.
Cite this article as: Donmez G, Torgutalp S, Yargic MP, et al. The effects of elective sports medicine internship program on physical activity counselling attitude of medical students.Turk J Sports Med. 2018;53(4):195-202.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest and do not have any financial disclosures. No competing interests were declared.
