Teaching activity

UK health professionals often not taught benefits of exercise

Following hard on the heels of evidence that health professionals are unaware of the benefits of physical activity for people recovering from cancer (see News Alert here >>) is a survey that suggests that doctors are not learning even the most basic information about physical activity. Conducted by researchers from University College, London, and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the survey of the curricula of all medical schools in the United Kingdom, 15 of the 31 medical schools – 44 per cent – did not even teach students the Chief Medical Officer’s Guidelines on physical activity. Only four taught physical activity in each year of the curriculum, and five do not include any specific teaching on physical activity at all. The average hours spent teaching physical activity throughout the entire curriculum was 4.2 hours (this question was only answered by 12 schools). In addition, the modules within which physical activity teaching took place varied greatly – e.g. public health, cardiology etc.

Given the paucity of teaching, perhaps it is not surprising that practising health professionals often do not appreciate the potential benefits for patients of stepping up their physical activity levels. The authors describe their findings as ‘alarming’, demonstrating a ‘major disconnect’ between medical education, the clinical guidelines for long-term conditions and policy at national level.

Sources: NHS Choices, 30 July 2012; BBC News online, 28 July 2012.

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