An Evidence-Based Approach to Teaching Obesity Management to Medical Students

INTRODUCTION: The need for education of future and current providers in evidence-based management of obesity and the release of new treatment guidelines prompted the development of a resource for use in the education of medical students and residents. METHODS: A self-contained module was developed to provide an overview of recent guidelines for obesity management utilizing evidence-based medicine while debunking popular myths associated with available weight-loss strategies. The module was delivered over 15 months to six groups of learners (N = 180) and was continuously improved through feedback from content experts and the learners. After completion of the module, one subset of learners responded to a three-question survey using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). RESULTS: Formal evaluation of the module was completed by a subset of the learners (N = 32, 64% response rate). The majority agreed or strongly agreed with these survey statements: “Overall this module was valuable as an educational tool” (97%, Mdn = 4); “After completion of this module, I am confident of my knowledge on how to manage obesity in adult patients” (84%, Mdn = 4); and “It was easy to navigate the module” (94%, Mdn = 5). DISCUSSION: This module could be implemented as is at other institutions that strive to educate medical students or residents on the most recent guidelines and evidence-based medicine regarding obesity management.