Doctors as Role Models

Did you know that 8 out of 10 physicians in Canada think that doctors have a duty to be healthy role models for their patients?

Be the change.  Lead by example. 

More and more physicians are realizing that their own personal health behaviors influence their interactions with patients. Almost 80% agreed that a physician should try to lead by example and follow the same healthy lifestyle advice they give to their patients. We now know that a physician’s individual health habits strongly influence their counseling behavior with patients. For example, doctors who exercise are more likely to counsel patients about physical activity, doctors who have healthy diets are more likely to counsel about proper nutrition, and doctors who do not smoke (or who have quit smoking) are more likely to counsel about smoking cessation.

It is no longer enough for physicians to simply be medically knowledgeable. As our population faces epidemics of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, doctors need to serve as healthy role models for their patients and exemplify the lifestyle behaviors that they advocate.  

 Visit the Canadian Medical Association’s Center for Physician Health and Well-being for resources on healthy living:www.cma.ca/living/centrephysicianhealthwellbeing