Having a Medical Practice Connected to a Gym

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Can'tdecide111

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Hey SDN,

Sorry if this is getting ahead of myself as I'm still applying for residency, but I wanted to get a sense of how possible this is. I was thinking that one of my dreams is to be a PCP that is also a personal trainer for my patients.

I kinda want to counsel them on how to diet right and exercise right too. Because I'm into gym, I'm wondering if I could instruct them in what exercises to do. (such as deadlifts or squats)

How hard is it to do this? Is this overshooting and I'm just better off focusing on medicine?

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You can do that, but you'll probably want to eventually marry a personal trainer (non-Instagram model) to have them deal with the periodization and detailed planning and data management. They'd also be more free to take time off for taking care of kids (who probably won't be fat). I'm planning on going into psych, but having an anti-depression gym is definitely something I'll be working toward.
 
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You can do that, but you'll probably want to eventually marry a personal trainer (non-Instagram model) to have them deal with the periodization and detailed planning and data management. They'd also be more free to take time off for taking care of kids (who probably won't be fat). I'm planning on going into psych, but having an anti-depression gym is definitely something I'll be working toward.

I just have the personal opinion that all medical professionals should be physically competent. Call me crazy, but if the medical professionals are obese and eating poorly and exercising poorly, how will our patients trust us?

Maybe I'm being too extreme, but it strikes me as poor form if you are counseling a patient to diet and exercise, but you aren't doing it yourself.
 
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I just have the personal opinion that all medical professionals should be physically competent. Call me crazy, but if the medical professionals are obese and eating poorly and exercising poorly, how will our patients trust us?

Maybe I'm being too extreme, but it strikes me as poor form if you are counseling a patient to diet and exercise, but you aren't doing it yourself.
Yes because heaven forbid Physicians also be human
 
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Yes because heaven forbid Physicians also be human

If doctors are counseling their patients to eat right and exercise, is it not imperative that they do that themselves? Why even counsel if you aren't going to practice your counsel?
 
I just have the personal opinion that all medical professionals should be physically competent. Call me crazy, but if the medical professionals are obese and eating poorly and exercising poorly, how will our patients trust us?

Maybe I'm being too extreme, but it strikes me as poor form if you are counseling a patient to diet and exercise, but you aren't doing it yourself.

I'm prior-USMC, Exercise Science (B.S.) and am into strength training. People say I look 10 years younger than my age and I've never been above 9% fat. Stop assuming things or your future patients won't trust you enough to get on your program. No need to get preachy.

You're asking for opinions and I'm saying that even in psychiatry, a gym is good. I also say that you can't give your patients half-assed workout advice. I know 100% I can design a better training program than my wife... BUT (huge but) if my wife can spend more time on the social history and dietary history, she can make up the difference. And it's probably what's best for the patient. They have to establish a routine and will eventually need formal structure if they have any goal. That is a lot of work and is probably better to delegate to a competent trainer that you know and trust. Might as well be a spouse.
 
Hey SDN,

Sorry if this is getting ahead of myself as I'm still applying for residency, but I wanted to get a sense of how possible this is. I was thinking that one of my dreams is to be a PCP that is also a personal trainer for my patients.

I kinda want to counsel them on how to diet right and exercise right too. Because I'm into gym, I'm wondering if I could instruct them in what exercises to do. (such as deadlifts or squats)

How hard is it to do this? Is this overshooting and I'm just better off focusing on medicine?
I'm confused...I thought you wanted to treat adults with ASD. Will the gym help them out?
 
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If doctors are counseling their patients to eat right and exercise, is it not imperative that they do that themselves? Why even counsel if you aren't going to practice your counsel?
So if I'm an overweight physician, I can't counsel patients to lose weight if I'm not also losing weight?

If I'm not exercising the minimum amount of time the AHA says I should based on my age, I can't encourage my patients to exercise the recommended amount?

Do you honestly not see how your approach will result in you being a bad doctor unless you follow every single recommendation for healthy living?
 
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I just have the personal opinion that all medical professionals should be physically competent. Call me crazy, but if the medical professionals are obese and eating poorly and exercising poorly, how will our patients trust us?

Maybe I'm being too extreme, but it strikes me as poor form if you are counseling a patient to diet and exercise, but you aren't doing it yourself.

What's the definition of an alcoholic?

-- Someone who drinks more than their doctor.

All kidding aside, counseling patients about "eat less, exercise more" is not evidence based way to change behavior. There is an insurance company in town that has partnered with a great gym, and maybe by offering some discounts, the insurance company is getting a few more people through that door. In general, I have found that "fitness" and "health" are way down the priority list of most of my patients. Sure, when they're in my office they might talk a good game, but that's just the white coat syndrome.

If you really want to help patients prepare (and change) check on something called Motivational Interviewing. It does not necessitate the physician be a model of fitness, which is a completely unrealistic standard. It's all about the patient and their own motivation. It's not about you at all.
 
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I just have the personal opinion that all medical professionals should be physically competent. Call me crazy, but if the medical professionals are obese and eating poorly and exercising poorly, how will our patients trust us?

Maybe I'm being too extreme, but it strikes me as poor form if you are counseling a patient to diet and exercise, but you aren't doing it yourself.

as someone who has been big my entire life and now an obese physician, I think you are simplifying things too much. Obese people don't often listen to people who aren't, or never were, obese. It is easy to say "move more and eat less" and I truly do wish things were that easy. I hate going to the doctor because they tell me I am overweight. I know I am overweight. a skinny person telling me that I should move more just makes me annoyed. I try to exercise regularly and eat moderately well, but I don't find personal fitness as important as you do. I don't counsel patients on "easy ways to quit smoking" because it was hard as hell for me to quit, so I encourage them on their efforts.

I think there is something to be said about physicians who "get it." as someone who spent most of my life working blue collar jobs, I have been complimented that I can connect more with working class families. every physician can't get through every aspect of life. and when people focus on my weight, they do it ignoring the rest of my life and the things I find important.
 
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If doctors are counseling their patients to eat right and exercise, is it not imperative that they do that themselves? Why even counsel if you aren't going to practice your counsel?
No, it is not imperative at all
 
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I do feel that a doctor who advises a patient not to use cocaine should not be using cocaine currently
(Some addiction docs are former abusers)
Amd yet the most compelling “don’t ever use drugs” speech I ever got was from a homeless crack addicted prostitute....

I’ve yet to see anyone more desperately sincere
 
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You will go broke just seeing patients from a single gym.
 
If doctors are counseling their patients to eat right and exercise, is it not imperative that they do that themselves? Why even counsel if you aren't going to practice your counsel?
My dad didn’t trust his old doctor because he was “a skinny guy”, so what could he know about losing weight and how hard it is for him?
My grandma doesn’t trust her doctor because “he’s too fat” so clearly he has no business telling her what to do for heart health.

TL;DR: you can’t win either way
 
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Hey SDN,

Sorry if this is getting ahead of myself as I'm still applying for residency, but I wanted to get a sense of how possible this is. I was thinking that one of my dreams is to be a PCP that is also a personal trainer for my patients.

I kinda want to counsel them on how to diet right and exercise right too. Because I'm into gym, I'm wondering if I could instruct them in what exercises to do. (such as deadlifts or squats)

How hard is it to do this? Is this overshooting and I'm just better off focusing on medicine?
I think this type of thing is certainly feasible and good for patients too. Many medical problems would vastly improve if people did what they should do. I recently went to a conference and this group called “rejuv medical” supposedly help physicians start/add fitness type components to their practice and make 7 figures. I don’t know if hats true or not but I would look them up maybe.
 
agreed that a lot of overweight patients have an easier time relating to docs who "get it".

as a currently overweight person and formerly hardcore athlete, it has been astounding how difficult it is to do seemingly simple things that used to be cake.

a cool thing i've read about is "walk with a doc" where the doc goes out once a week or month or whatever and goes for a walk and anyone in the community can join in. most of your overweight patients are going to be more interested in something like this and benefit more from this level of activity than a hardcore gym workout. its much more manageable for the physician.

 
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You can design an obstacle course that has to be completed before they can see you. It would be a part of your intake form.

On a serious note, exercise shouldn't be the main part of weight management program for obese patients. The focus should be on dietary modification first and foremost and exercise second. You may wanna look up some obesity clinics offered by PCP's.
 
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Check out barbell medicine. They are interested in this model
 
You can design an obstacle course that has to be completed before they can see you. It would be a part of your intake form.

On a serious note, exercise shouldn't be the main part of weight management program for obese patients. The focus should be on dietary modification first and foremost and exercise second. You may wanna look up some obesity clinics offered by PCP's.

https://gomerblog.com/2013/06/398
 
Have fun getting sued when your patients injure themselves. Deadlift and squats are dangerous exercises that most people are not fit enough to do correctly or knowledgeable enough to do safely and will seriously injure themselves. Now you’ve created a chronic back pain methadone patient. Good job.
 
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Have fun getting sued when your patients injure themselves. Deadlift and squats are dangerous exercises that most people are not fit enough to do correctly or knowledgeable enough to do safely and will seriously injure themselves. Now you’ve created a chronic back pain methadone patient. Good job.
You are overreacting.
 
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Check out barbell medicine. They are interested in this model
I tried. Every single thing on that website is nonsense. And I don't just mean medically dubious (although I certainly do mean that). I mean that the words written literally make no sense.
 
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I tried. Every single thing on that website is nonsense. And I don't just mean medically dubious (although I certainly do mean that). I mean that the words written literally make no sense.

What part of “Lock in the gainzZz” did you not understand?
 
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I tried. Every single thing on that website is nonsense. And I don't just mean medically dubious (although I certainly do mean that). I mean that the words written literally make no sense.
What part did you see did you think was the worst?
 
Seems neither are the bro's behind that site.
They both graduated from EVMS.

I always wanted to bring them up in this sub because I am not sure how rigorous they are with their info. For the most part they cite papers but again I am not well verse in medicine to accept or deny their claims.

I definitely want to bring counter arguments to them in their Q&A.
 
Have you considered a sports medicine fellowship? During med school, the family medicine rotation I was at also had a sports medicine fellowship. Basically 2-3 half days a week they had a sports medicine clinic and the remaining time they was your standard PCP.
 
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