Evaluation of Internal Medicine Residents as Exercise Role Models and Associations With Self-Reported Counseling Behavior, Confidence, and Perceived Success

Background: Patients perceive physicians who practice healthy personal behaviors as more credible and better able to motivate patients to make healthy lifestyle choices. Purposes: To evaluate internal medicine resident physicians as role models for promoting exercise by an assessment of physician physical activity behavior, cardiovascular fitness, physical activity knowledge, personal use of behavior modification techniques, attitudes toward personal physical activity practice, and confidence (i.e., self-efficacy) in the knowledge and personal utilization of behavior modification techniques and to explore the associations with self-reported patient counseling behavior, confidence, and perceived success. Methods: Cross-sectional study of internal medicine resident physicians with a self-administered survey, treadmill fitness testing, and a 7-day physical activity recall. Results: Fifty-one resident physicians agreed to participate (response rate = 81%). Fitness levels were below average for 60%, average fo...