Course information

This online course is another facet of Lifestyle Medicine. Since Americans are leading increasingly sedentary lifestyles and becoming more overweight/obese, there is a need to educate physicians on the benefits of prescribing exercise to their patients. While the benefits of exercise are widely known, physicians do not always have the necessary training to counsel their patients on how to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. Exercise is Medicine, which is a nationwide initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine, will equip physicians with the knowledge they need to prescribe exercise to patients in a manner similar to prescribing medication. The ultimate objective of this initiative is to have every physician at every visit prescribe exercise for every patient, as needed and appropriate. The format of the course will be multiple choice, with an explanation as to why a particular answer that is chosen is right or wrong.

• Define exercise prescription.
• Understand the four parts of exercise prescription.
• Learn how to write an exercise prescription.
• Review the benefits of exercise.
• Review the risks of exercise.
• Identify patients for whom exercise is contraindicated.

Edward M. Phillips, MD, is Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. He is Director of Outpatient Medical Services of the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Network in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Phillips’ clinical and academic work at the intersection of exercise physiology and mental health spawned his interest in Lifestyle Medicine. He is founder and director of The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, www.instituteoflifestylemedicine.org. Additionally, Phillips serves on the American College of Sports Medicine task force that has initiated and developed the Exercise is Medicine program. His book on the topic, Exercise is Medicine, The Clinician’s Guide to the Exercise Prescription will be published by Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins in early 2009.