Implementation of physical activity in the curricula of medical schools and healthcare professions across Europe: the VANGUARD project study protocol

Introduction: The 2018 published World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe physical activity factsheet reports, specify agreed targets for physical activity and articulate the need to improve the education of medical doctors and healthcare practitioners in order to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary time in people at risk and/or living with Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). Given the dearth of relevant initiatives and the continuous need to increase physical activity participation towards better health management of NCDs, the aim of this study is to embed physical activity in the undergraduate curricula of future frontline healthcare professionals (medical doctors and allied health professions) in European countries. Methods: The Virtual Advice, Nurturing, Guidance on Universal Action, Research and Development for physical activity and sport engagement (VANGUARD) project consists of a collaborative partnership Consortium between six European Universities, WHO Europe and Ministry representatives that has been developed to implement physical activity in the curricula of medical schools and healthcare professions. The methodology of the VANGUARD project is informed by the WHO implementation guidance and the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Discussion: Through a carefully planned implementation process and via using established appropriate implementation evaluation tools, the end result of the VANGUARD project will be the a) implementation of a physical activity module in six different European Universities (five medical schools and one physiotherapy department) and b) development of a toolkit/guide, in order to assist other healthcare systems and European Universities to develop relevant grass-root innovations for addressing the decline in physical activity levels.

Citation

Metsios GS, Morres ID, Fatouros I, Lahart IM, Zilinskiene R, Istomina N, Jankauskas R, Maestu J, Tzika K, Unt E, Mendes R, Barbosa A, Vuillemin A, Darmon D, Gates AB. Implementation of Physical Activity in the Curricula of Medical Schools and Healthcare Professions Across Europe: The VANGUARD Project Study Protocol. Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology 2024;35(3):498-503.

PubMed ID

39463863 (pubmed)

Additional Links

https://doi.org/10.31138/mjr.290724.iac

Type

Journal article

Language

en

Description

© 2025 The authors. Published by the Greek Rheumatology Society and Professional Association of Rheumatologists. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.31138/mjr.290724.iac

ISSN

2529-198X

EISSN

2529-198X

Collections

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing