The evolution of an integrated ultrasound curriculum (iUSC) for medical students: 9-year experience.

Interest in ultrasound education in medical schools has increased dramatically in recent years as reflected in a marked increase in publications on the topic and growing attendance at international meetings on ultrasound education. In 2006, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine introduced an integrated ultrasound curriculum (iUSC) across all years of medical school. That curriculum has evolved significantly over the 9 years.

Factors that influence physicians' and medical students' confidence in counseling patients about physical activity.

Less than half of US adults and two-thirds of US high school students do not meet current US guidelines for physical activity. We examined which factors promoted physicians' and medical students' confidence in counseling patients about physical activity. We established an online exercise survey targeting attending physicians, resident and fellow physicians, and medical students to determine their current level of physical activity and confidence in counseling patients about physical activity.

Teaching medical students ultrasound to measure liver size: comparison with experienced clinicians using physical examination alone.

Background: Ultrasound is increasingly recognized as a valuable addition to medical school curriculum.

Purpose: In this study, we tested the ability of rising second year students to learn and conduct an ultrasound examination of vertical liver span at the point of care.

Methods: Six patients from a GI clinic volunteered to have their liver size measured.

Determining levels of physical activity in attending physicians, resident and fellow physicians and medical students in the USA.

Objective: Evidence suggests that the level of physical activity of physicians can be correlated directly with physician counselling patterns about this behaviour. Our objective was to determine if medical students, resident and fellow physicians and attending physicians meet the physical activity guidelines set forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Methods: A representative cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in June 2009-January 2010 throughout the USA (N=1949).

Adoption and implementation of physical activity and dietary counseling by community health center providers and nurses.

Background: Primary care providers are expected to provide lifestyle counseling, yet many barriers exist. Few studies report on adoption and implementation in routine practice. This study reports training, adoption, and implementation of an intervention to promote physical activity (PA) and dietary counseling in community health centers.

Heart Healthy and Ethnically Relevant (HHER) Lifestyle trial for improving diet and physical activity in underserved African American women.

Background: African American women are at increased risk for CVD morbidity and mortality relative to white women. Physical inactivity and poor dietary habits are modifiable health behaviors shown to reduce CVD risk. Community health centers have the potential to reach large numbers of African Americans to modify their risk for CVD, yet few lifestyle counseling interventions have been conducted in this setting.

Healthy behavior change of adults with mental retardation: attendance in a health promotion program.

Participation in a health promotion program for 192 overweight and obese adults with mental retardation was associated with behavior change resulting in reduction of body mass index-BMI (weight in kg, divided by height in meters, squared) by the end of the program. We analyzed the mediating and intermediate factors contributing to weight reduction and found knowledge and exercise to be the primary contributing factors. The curriculum emphasized exercise, nutritional choices, and stress reduction.