Arizona Lifestyle Medicine Institute
A flagship program of the Arizona Lifestyle Medicine Institute (AZLM)

Lifestyle Medicine Rotation

The AZLM Lifestyle Medicine Rotation is a month-long educational experience for medical students focused on disease prevention, health promotion, and behavior change.

Students study the role of nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, relationships, and other daily behaviors in preventing and reversing chronic disease. The rotation also examines a broader question:

How can healthcare professionals and healthcare systems help people make lasting changes in their lives?

Much of the work is completed independently through reading, videos, research, written reflection, and project development. Students meet regularly with the rotation director to discuss ideas, evaluate evidence, and contribute to tools being developed by the Arizona Lifestyle Medicine Institute.

Rotation Projects

Students may help evaluate and refine:

  • The Total Health Score, a tool for assessing health behaviors and identifying opportunities for improvement.
  • The Whole Life Operating System, a framework connecting values, identity, aspirations, behaviors, and personal systems.
  • Everything You Need to Know About Health, a concise guide to the most important principles of long-term health.

Students may also complete literature reviews, evidence summaries, patient education resources, behavior-change tools, healthcare-system analyses, or other projects aligned with their interests and the work of AZLM.

Required Videos

Students complete a selected video series addressing lifestyle medicine, disease prevention, behavior change, and healthcare reform.

View the required video playlist →

Required Reading

Students read two books during the first two weeks of the rotation.

All students read:

  • Sickening by John Abramson

Students then select one additional book:

  • Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
  • Catastrophic Care by David Goldhill
  • The Innovator's Prescription by Clayton Christensen, Jerome Grossman, and Jason Hwang
  • The Price We Pay by Marty Makary
  • Never Pay the First Bill by Marshall Allen
  • The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
  • Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
  • The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris
  • Feeling Good by David Burns
  • The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
  • Better by Atul Gawande
  • Why Our Health Matters by Andrew Weil

Audiobooks are acceptable.

The Goal

The purpose of the rotation is to help future physicians understand not only what produces health, but also how individuals, clinicians, communities, and healthcare systems can make healthy behavior easier to begin and sustain.

Request Rotation Info

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the rotation?

The rotation is a month-long educational experience for medical students focused on disease prevention, health promotion, and behavior change.

Is the rotation open to students outside of one specific school?

Yes. The rotation is open to students from any medical or premedical program, not limited to one school.

What does the rotation actually involve day to day?

Much of the work is completed independently through reading, videos, research, written reflection, and project development. Students meet regularly with the rotation director to discuss ideas, evaluate evidence, and contribute to tools being developed by AZLM.

Is the rotation in person or remote?

Both are possible. In-person participation, based in the Phoenix/Peoria, Arizona area, is preferred, but the rotation can also be completed remotely.

What reading is required?

Students read two books during the first two weeks of the rotation — Sickening by John Abramson, plus one additional book selected from a provided list. Audiobooks are acceptable.

How do I apply or ask questions about the rotation?

Use the Contact page to reach the AZLM team directly.