Exercise is Medicine(®): Knowledge and Awareness among Exercise Science and Medical School Students

The purpose of this exploratory study was twofold: to determine whether exercise science and medical students are aware of the Exercise is Medicine(®) (EIM(®)) program and to construct a tool that would permit assessment of EIM(®) variables with students enrolled in both programs. The study consisted of a quantitative, cross-sectional design, using a self-report electronic questionnaire. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) using principal component analysis extraction method with Varimax factor rotation was employed to validate the survey instrument based on the expected constructs, which posited five (5) contending factors: Value, Familiarity, Preparedness, Curricular Perceptions, and Opinions. A pairwise comparison was then performed to compare elements of the EIM(®) scale identified from the factor analysis by student type (medical and exercise science student) using multiple independent sample t-tests. Based on the pairwise comparisons, there were statistically significant differences of all EIM(®) factors by student type with the exception of Opinions (p = 0.109). Based on the trends observed in the data, exercise science students had a more positive report for each EIM(®) factor compared to medical students. These findings suggest a discrepancy in the delivery, acceptance, and implementation of the EIM(®) initiative between exercise professionals and medical healthcare providers. Future investigation is warranted to validate this experimental instrument and study the differences in EIM(®) factors among current medical and exercise professionals.