Most people know that medical school is a strenuous period with lots of hard work and studying. What they may not know is that physical fitness declines during medical school. This is important because a doctor’s exercise habits influence how they talk to their patients about physical activity and nutrition. With 3.2 million people worldwide dying each year from the consequences of physical inactivity, this is a necessary skill.

Joanne Donoghue, PhD, Director of Clinical Research at NYITCOM and Assistant Professor in the Department of Osteopathic Medicine, the primary researcher on the FIT-Physician
study, showed that future physicians could maintain, and even improve,their fitness during medical school. “By equipping students with Fitbit activity trackers and sending weekly emails on lifestyle
improvements, we made a difference in their activity levels and even showed improvement in body fat % in some overweight students,” said Dr. Donoghue. Overweight students in this group lowered their body fat percentage and increased lean (muscle) compared to their colleagues. Perhaps most importantly, over 80% of students said they be more likely to educate their patients on the benefits of physical activity. Hallie Zwibel, D.O. Director of the NYIT Center for Sports Medicine boasts, “these results demonstrate tremendous potential. By encouraging patients to live healthier lives through exercise and nutrition these future physicians can prevent illness and disease before it starts.”

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