Whole Health Curriculum for Health Professions Trainees

Welcome to the VA Boston Whole Health Training Site for Health Professions Trainees. This free, student-directed, innovative curriculum is offered to health professions trainees and faculty across the country through VA Boston Healthcare System Education Academy. The Student Guide and Faculty Implementation Guide below provide learning objectives and content outlines for a range of topics related to Whole Health and are immediately accessible via the links provided. Also included in these guides are several measures to evaluate the program in order to demonstrate that trainees are acquiring essential knowledge, skills, and confidence to apply Whole Health principles to care for patients and themselves. These measures are not yet validated and are currently used solely for the purpose of internal quality improvement at VA Boston. There will be periodic updates to the curriculum content as well as the program evaluation measures, so we encourage viewers to check back regularly. We welcome your input and encourage you to contact:

• Coming soon!

• Direct observation of patient care in clinical settings, including sites throughout the VA Healthcare System
• Small group didactic sessions
• Self-directed readings, case studies, and videos
• Personal Health Behavior Change Project:  you will select a particular area of health to change/improve, set personal goals, and monitor your behavior across the rotation
• Research a topic of interest related to Whole Health and present an evidence based summary of the topic supplemented by your rotation experience in a 10-min PowerPoint talk

Note:  Participants must attend 80% of all activities and meet all core requirements (see performance evaluation section below) in order to document completion of the rotation.

Participants’ knowledge/skill in Whole Health gained during the required activities of this rotation will be evaluated by:

• Pre/Post multiple choice test of knowledge related to Whole Health
• Pre/Post treatment approach for two clinical case vignettes
• Pre/Post self-efficacy questionnaire

• Behavior Change Project:  The personal health of a medical provider plays an important role in his/her patient encounters. 
• Whole Health Pre-Rotation Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. 
• Whole Health Rotation Pre/Post Test.  Educators may contact susan.mcglynn@va.gov for more information about this multiple choice test.
• Whole Health Pre/Post Clinical Vignettes Assessment.
• Whole Health Post-Rotation Self-Efficacy Questionnaire.

• Health Behavior Change Principles and Self-Modification Project.
• Introduction To Culinary Medicine/Chef Coaching 1 and Culinary Medicine For You (Self-Care And Clinical Tools)/Chef Coaching 2.​

• Exercise Prescription.​​

• Experiential Coaching. 

• Health Coaching Conversations: The Key To Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC).

• Mindfulness And Whole Health Group.

• Food and Nutrition in Health and Well-being.​

• Introduction to Whole Health Assessment and Motivational Interviewing.​​

• Complementary Integrative Health (CIH) Experience.​

• Burnout.