Educators in health science programs often focus on how students will improve health outcomes for their future patients and communities. But what about the students’ own health? How can educators emphasize the importance of personal well-being—both now and in the future, not just for their patients?
It’s up to educators to integrate and model personal health education within their curriculum, helping students build a strong foundation for lifelong well-being, which will inspire a ripple effect that will carry over to the various communities they participate in throughout their lifetimes.
Here’s how it works and how you can do your part as an educator to demonstrate these benefits to students.
What Is Personal Health Education?
Personal health education focuses on teaching individuals the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions about their own well-being. This includes topics such as nutrition, mental health, physical activity, disease prevention, and overall lifestyle choices, which may look different for each person. For instance, one student may be really focused on having a consistent exercise regimen, while another might be more focused on eating a well-balanced diet.
Personal health education emphasizes daily habits and behaviors that contribute to practicing healthy habits long-term.
The Challenge of Teaching Personal Health Education
While personal health education may seem straightforward, it presents unique challenges—particularly at the university level and in online learning environments. Unlike primary and secondary education, where physical education is often a standard part of the curriculum, many universities do not require it. As a result, some students may not prioritize their own health during their academic years, either due to time constraints or the perception that their focus should be solely on their studies—especially in health science programs, where their primary concern is often their future patients.
The challenges are further amplified in online courses. Students spend extended periods in front of their screens, limiting opportunities for movement and healthy habits. Additionally, encouraging students to focus on their personal health can sometimes be met with resistance, as they may perceive it as intrusive rather than supportive.
Why Personal Health Education Matters
All this considered, there’s no questioning how important personal health education is for everyone, but especially college-aged students who may be more sedentary when taking online courses.
In fact, according to Obesity.org, “While obesity is a global problem, college students in the United States are among the most affected populations.” It goes on to say that a significant number of college students gain weight during their college years, with almost 1 in 3 American college students being presently obese. The study added, “Additionally, according to a survey in 2021, 44% of college students in the US described their weight as more than normal, i.e., either in the overweight or obese category.”
When students understand personal health, they not only improve their own well-being but also contribute to healthier communities. This, again, will no doubt carry over to the communities they’ll serve once they enter their career.
Some key benefits of educators incorporating personal health education into the curriculum include:
- Improved health outcomes: Educated individuals make healthier choices, reducing the prevalence of chronic diseases.
- Better mental well-being: Understanding stress management, emotional resilience, and mental health awareness leads to stronger coping mechanisms.
- Community impact: Health-conscious individuals influence family members, friends, and workplaces, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
- More well-rounded health science professionals: Students entering health-related careers will be better prepared to advocate for preventative care and holistic wellness.
9 Ways Educators Can Integrate Personal Health Education (Online) into the Curriculum
In an online environment, students are often sitting down for perhaps longer periods of time than they would be in a physical classroom setting, walking from one class across campus to another class. This means it’s even more essential to integrate personal health education into the curriculum. But how? After all, it can be difficult to get through a set course without accounting for supplemental learning. This is why educators have to find ways to integrate personal health education into each course.
While it’s certainly not required that educators stress the importance of personal health education in a curriculum about Medical Terminology or Anatomy and Physiology, there should be subtle ways to tie it into the curriculum in a way that’s beneficial for themselves, their classroom community, and their future patients. For example, educators can encourage students to apply medical terminology to their own health by analyzing personal or family medical histories, breaking down prescription labels, or interpreting common diagnostic terms they may encounter in real life.
Ultimately, educators play an important role in shaping students’ understanding of personal health. Here are some strategies to incorporate these principles into online courses:
1. Encourage movement breaks
Let’s say a class is 50 minutes long. Can you incorporate movement breaks into the class? Perhaps every 10 minutes, encourage students to stand up and do some virtual stretches. Maybe halfway through, set a 5-minute intermission, where students can, of course, use the time to take a bathroom break or grab some water. But you could also put on a short exercise video for everyone to tune into.
2. Do a class step challenge
In addition to incorporating movement breaks into the class, you can also consider adding a class step challenge. There are websites like ‘World of Walking’ where the whole class community can work together to ‘complete a walk’ from one place to another by then each uploading their individual steps at the end of each week during the semester. This could be a fun way to also get to know the students: Where do they dream of traveling one day?
3. Assign a personal nutrition plan
Not every student will have the same personal health goals, but part of educating about personal health involves reiterating the basics of nutrition. The Food Pyramid is something students are taught when they are younger, but initiatives about nutrition, diet, health, and what constitutes a healthy diet have changed a lot. There are a lot of conversations about processed foods, GMOs, different types of diets, Blue Zones, etc. Students could be encouraged to find a nutrition plan they are interested in and see what the results are for their bodies. This could also be tied into the curriculum because instead of “I lost weight” or “I felt more energized” they could also talk about their anatomy, body systems, etc., in more detail
4. Utilize technology for personal health apps
You can record steps with a pedometer app on your phone, but there are also loads of other apps and technology tools that you can encourage students to utilize for their personal health tracking. For instance, students can track their nutrition, what they’re eating, they’re exercise goals, or any other personal health goals they may have, using the plethora of apps that are out there. This is one way to make personal health education personal and fun!
Students can be encouraged to share their results and/how the app has helped them improve and maintain their personal health goals with the rest of the class, which can create that ripple effect through their community. Of course, learning which apps are out there and continue to be added can also be good advice for their patients in the future.
5. Organize in-person active classes
Even if your students are logging into class remotely, if everyone happens to live in the same vicinity, you could consider organizing in-person, active courses. Host a hike or a yoga meet-up, perhaps at the physical university (if it exists). If students are not able to get together in person, then you could encourage them to find meet-ups like this in their hometowns as an assignment. This could also be integrated with the health science curriculum you’re teaching.
6. Encourage students to discuss—and abstain from—unhealthy habits
On top of teaching personal health through the lens of what’s healthy, it’s also important to educate on what’s not healthy. It may be a stereotype, but college students—and young people in general—may engage in ‘risky’ behaviors, like alcohol consumption, experimenting with substances, vaping, smoking, and eating unhealthy foods. This is, of course, normal to some degree, but as future health science professionals, it’s important for students to at least be aware of these habits.
7. Promote student-led health discussions
Online courses can sometimes feel isolating; some students log in and turn their cameras off, and it can be hard to find that sense of connection and community within the class. By providing open-ended questions related to personal health, you as the editor can lead discussion board topics that get students engaged and thinking about their personal help. Encourage students to share experiences and tips on maintaining wellness in an online setting.
8. Relate lessons to future careers
Not only are there ways to integrate personal health education into whichever health science curriculum you’re teaching (as mentioned earlier), but relating lessons to students’ future careers could be another way to keep them engaged. After all, many of them will be excited about learning the material they are studying as it means they’re that much closer to being on their chosen career path.
For instance, help students connect their personal health knowledge to their future roles by having them consider how they will educate patients and communities about personal health. A simple way to do this could be by integrating the topic in a Human Disease & Pathophysiology, Sports Medicine, or Human Nutrition course via a role-playing exercise where one student plays a patient experiencing fatigue, stress, or other symptoms, while another practices taking their history, checking vital signs, and offering basic lifestyle or wellness recommendations based on what they’ve learned.
9. Model positive health habits
Last but not least, one of the best ways to teach about personal health is to demonstrate it for them! Simply talking about your own personal health journey as their educator can help them relate. If you’re assigning any activities on this list—like utilizing personal health apps to learn more about yourself—try it out as well. Modeling these habits also sets them up for their future, where they can model similar habits for their patients.
How Students Can Make an Impact Beyond the Classroom
While personal health education focuses on the personal and individual aspect, communities as a whole can benefit from these individual efforts and public health initiatives. When teaching about personal health education, it’s important to keep in mind that it also involves fostering a culture of well-being that extends into your students’ larger communities.
Here are some ideas to help students take part in—or even lead—these initiatives:
- Participate in local health and community initiatives: Volunteer for public health programs, awareness campaigns, or wellness workshops.
- Advocate for health education: Encourage universities and healthcare centers to prioritize health literacy by promoting wellness programs or distributing educational resources.
- Organize peer-led wellness programs: Consider leading study groups or student organizations focused on health topics like nutrition, stress management, or physical activity.
- Utilize social media for awareness: Create a forum in your online classroom where students can share credible health information, personal insights, case studies, and even personal tips to promote healthy habits.
- Engage in mentorship: Consider starting a mentorship program where younger students can work with a mentor who can share knowledge and encourage proactive health decisions.
- Collaborate with local organizations: See if your university is able to partner with community centers, gyms, or clinics to promote free or low-cost health screenings and wellness events for students, even those who are enrolled remotely.
- Advocate for policy changes: Work with school or community leaders to promote initiatives such as healthier meal options on campus, mental health resources, or physical education programs. How can we also ensure these programs are available to distance learning students?
Caduceus Courses That Support Personal Health Education
Integrating public health education into the curriculum is easier said than done. What if there was an online health science curriculum that not only made it simple to introduce these topics but also provided interactive resources, innovative digital tools, and an interdisciplinary syllabus that prepares students for their future careers?
Caduceus offers comprehensive online health science courses—such as our Personal & Community Health course—designed to help educators seamlessly incorporate personal health education into their teaching. This course takes a holistic approach to public health, covering essential topics like physical health, community wellness, and informed decision-making. Through engaging, interactive content—including multimedia lectures, self-test quizzes, and real-world applications—students learn not only how to improve their own well-being but also how to promote health literacy in their future careers and communities.
Personal health education may seem like a small addition to the curriculum, but it’s a small effort that can go a long way.. When students develop the knowledge and skills to prioritize well-being, they become advocates for healthier communities, creating a ripple effect that leads to long-term, widespread change.
Contact us and become part of the change today!
