Lifestyle Medicine_Enduring

Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based, patient-centered approach to preventing, treating, and often reversing chronic disease by addressing the root behavioral and environmental drivers of health. Rather than focusing primarily on pharmacologic or procedural interventions, it prioritizes sustainable changes in daily habits across six core domains: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and social connection. For clinicians, lifestyle medicine offers a structured framework to integrate these domains into routine care using practical tools such as brief counseling, motivational interviewing, shared decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration. It is particularly relevant for conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension, and certain mental health disorders, where lifestyle factors play a central role in pathogenesis and progression.

Target Audience

Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, and Physicians

Learning Objectives

As a result of participation in this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Define lifestyle medicine and explain the role of its six core pillars in the prevention and management of chronic disease.
  • Apply evidence-based lifestyle interventions and patient-centered counseling techniques to support sustainable behavior change in clinical practice.
  • Integrate lifestyle medicine into interdisciplinary care while addressing barriers, including social determinants of health, to improve patient outcomes. 
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
09/23/2026
Course expires: 
09/23/2029

Course Director:

  • Michelle L Thompson, DO, AOBFP, ABOIM, DipABLM, FACLM - Medical Director of Lifestyle Medicine at UPMC, Vice President of Medical Staff at UPMC Horizon & Jameson. Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Creator of Doctors in the Kitchen, a culinary medicine program.

Planning Committee:

  • Dean Paradis, MSN, RN, CCM - Manager of Clinical Training and Quality Assurance at UPMC Health Plan

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE
No members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships with any companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.


DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

The information presented at this CME program represents the views and opinions of the individual presenters, and does not constitute the opinion or endorsement of, or promotion by, the UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences, UPMC / University of Pittsburgh Medical Center or Affiliates and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.  Reasonable efforts have been taken intending for educational subject matter to be presented in a balanced, unbiased fashion and in compliance with regulatory requirements. However, each program attendee must always use his/her own personal and professional judgment when considering further application of this information, particularly as it may relate to patient diagnostic or treatment decisions including, without limitation, FDA-approved uses and any off-label uses.

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In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician (CME)

The University of Pittsburgh designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing (CNE)
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.0 contact hour.

Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 Attendance
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