Attitudes, Knowledge, and Educational Exposure Toward Integrative and Preventive Medicine Among Medical Students: A Structured Literature Review
Location
Moultrie, GA
Start Date
17-4-2026 12:00 PM
End Date
17-4-2026 1:00 PM
Description
Background:
Integrative and preventive medicine emphasizes a whole-person, lifestyle-based approach to an individual's health, incorporating both traditional and non-traditional medical practices. With increasing emphasis on disease prevention and patient-centered care, it is important for physicians to be adequately prepared in nutrition, lifestyle changes, and behavioral counseling. However, the drawbacks and limitations in medical education in these areas translate into limited intervention in everyday medical practice.
Objective:
To review current literature evaluating medical students' attitudes, knowledge, and educational exposure to integrative and preventive medicine. This review also aims to identify common barriers to integrative and preventive medicine within medical schools' curricula.
Methods:
Reviewed peer-reviewed articles highlighting the exposure and perspective on integrative, lifestyle, and preventive medicine among medical students, as well as its incorporation into the medical student curricula and attitude of future practice. Upon review, findings were grouped into three domains: attitudes and perceptions; educational exposure; knowledge and preparedness; and perceived barriers.
Results:
Across most published studies, medical students appear to express favorable attitudes towards integrative and preventive approaches in medicine. Additionally, students appear interested in incorporating lifestyle medicine into their future practice. However, exposure to such interventions in medical schools' curricula is limited. Studies show limited didactic time, poor course quality in institutions that have better implemented integrative and preventive medicine, and reduced practice during the clinical year or future practice. There also lie poor attitudes and beliefs about the effectiveness of integrative and preventive medicine, as well as the prioritization of traditional medical content that meets graduation requirements. Students, particularly in allopathic medical schools, also raised concerns about the limited evidence base for integrating integrative, complementary, lifestyle, or preventive medicine into patients' health outcomes. Lastly, a clear understanding of integrative, complementary, lifestyle, and preventive medicine is a common culprit in misinterpreting the importance of these practices.
Conclusion:
While medical students show interest in integrative and preventive medicine, there remains a limited understanding of its use and practice, as well as a lack of implementation or inclusion of additional courses in the current medical school curriculum. As such, there is a need to address curricular gaps and institutional barriers to effectively emphasize the importance of preventive medicine in clinical practice. Findings from this research act as a framework for surveys assessing students' readiness and understanding of preventive medicine in a clinical setting. An additional survey can examine how better integration of integrative, lifestyle, and preventive medicine can be incorporated into the medical curriculum and applied in everyday practice.
Embargo Period
5-25-2026
Attitudes, Knowledge, and Educational Exposure Toward Integrative and Preventive Medicine Among Medical Students: A Structured Literature Review
Moultrie, GA
Background:
Integrative and preventive medicine emphasizes a whole-person, lifestyle-based approach to an individual's health, incorporating both traditional and non-traditional medical practices. With increasing emphasis on disease prevention and patient-centered care, it is important for physicians to be adequately prepared in nutrition, lifestyle changes, and behavioral counseling. However, the drawbacks and limitations in medical education in these areas translate into limited intervention in everyday medical practice.
Objective:
To review current literature evaluating medical students' attitudes, knowledge, and educational exposure to integrative and preventive medicine. This review also aims to identify common barriers to integrative and preventive medicine within medical schools' curricula.
Methods:
Reviewed peer-reviewed articles highlighting the exposure and perspective on integrative, lifestyle, and preventive medicine among medical students, as well as its incorporation into the medical student curricula and attitude of future practice. Upon review, findings were grouped into three domains: attitudes and perceptions; educational exposure; knowledge and preparedness; and perceived barriers.
Results:
Across most published studies, medical students appear to express favorable attitudes towards integrative and preventive approaches in medicine. Additionally, students appear interested in incorporating lifestyle medicine into their future practice. However, exposure to such interventions in medical schools' curricula is limited. Studies show limited didactic time, poor course quality in institutions that have better implemented integrative and preventive medicine, and reduced practice during the clinical year or future practice. There also lie poor attitudes and beliefs about the effectiveness of integrative and preventive medicine, as well as the prioritization of traditional medical content that meets graduation requirements. Students, particularly in allopathic medical schools, also raised concerns about the limited evidence base for integrating integrative, complementary, lifestyle, or preventive medicine into patients' health outcomes. Lastly, a clear understanding of integrative, complementary, lifestyle, and preventive medicine is a common culprit in misinterpreting the importance of these practices.
Conclusion:
While medical students show interest in integrative and preventive medicine, there remains a limited understanding of its use and practice, as well as a lack of implementation or inclusion of additional courses in the current medical school curriculum. As such, there is a need to address curricular gaps and institutional barriers to effectively emphasize the importance of preventive medicine in clinical practice. Findings from this research act as a framework for surveys assessing students' readiness and understanding of preventive medicine in a clinical setting. An additional survey can examine how better integration of integrative, lifestyle, and preventive medicine can be incorporated into the medical curriculum and applied in everyday practice.