Enabling tomorrow’s doctors to address obesity in a GP consultation: an action research project

Abstract

Obesity is a leading risk factor for morbidity and mortality, however, guidelines for prevention and management are relatively recently established. Little is known about what needs to be in place to put these into practice. This research provides an insight into how senior medical students consult with obese patients in general practice, the range of their learning needs, and the impact of various educational strategies that aim to bring their practice closer to current evidence-based guidelines. It centres on a series of compulsory but formative reflective case studies written by final year students at one large medical school on their GP rotation as they consult independently with obese patients with ‘next room’ GP tutor support. Analysis of these case studies was used to inform a three-year educational action research project. By systematically identifying and addressing learning needs, including barriers and enablers to best practice, we have demonstrated how senior medical students, and their GP tutors, can acquire the role legitimacy and role competency required for effective practice.

Keywords:

• Obesity
• medical education
• behaviour change
• health promotion
• primary care
• general practice

Acknowledgements

Thanks to our final year students, their GP tutors, our administrative team, academic foundation doctor John Wong for analysis of our GP tutor day and code checking. Sharon Markless and Jenni Burt for helpful conversations on methodological considerations, and Rachel Pryke for encouragement and support.