Extension of the 5As Team Study for Improved Provider Obesity Management to Physicians and Medical Trainees (Part 2)

Results from the 5As Team (5AsT) Study have identified critical gaps in medical school curricula on obesity, leading to a wave of new family physicians who lack confidence and are poorly equipped to manage obesity with their patients. In an effort to address this gap, all first year medical residents training in family medicine at the University of Alberta during the 2015/2016 year will be required to take a 2 day workshop in Obesity Management as part of the Doctor-Patient Relationship Course. The comprehensive workshop provides medical residents with knowledge and training in obesity prevention and management through didactic lectures, experiential learning, and clinical practice. Participants were asked to complete and submit pre- and post- workshop assessment measuring self-reported confidence on aspects of weight management counselling, narrative reflections regarding the experiential components of the course, and measures to assess beliefs and attitudes towards people living with obesity. The purpose of our program evaluation was to assess the program's impact on residents' knowledge of obesity and attitude towards counselling patients with obesity, as well as to refine and further develop the course. Evaluation of the 5AsT-MD pilot project shows increases of residents' understanding of the complexity and chronicity of obesity, and an uptake of the 5As framework and tools by residents to improve confidence and success of their weight management practice.