Next Gen LM: Mentorship in Medicine

What if lifestyle medicine could be seamlessly integrated into community care—designed with patients, not just for them?

In this episode of LM in Motion, host Dawson Myers sits down with Pamela Perepelitsky, incoming third-year medical student at Chicago Medical School, to explore how she co-founded a lifestyle medicine service within a student-run interprofessional community clinic.

Serving uninsured patients in Lake County, Illinois, this initiative goes beyond education—embedding lifestyle medicine directly into clinic workflows through personalized, culturally relevant tools and resources.

Together, they walk through:
How patient needs and data shaped the foundation of the program

What it took to design and launch a lifestyle medicine service from scratch

The process of building clinic workflows, resource kits, and volunteer protocols

Challenges like coordination, translation, and maintaining clinic flow

Why culturally tailored care is essential to meaningful behavior change

Practical steps for replicating this model in other community settings

This episode highlights the power of starting small, listening deeply, and building solutions alongside the communities you serve. It’s a real-world example of how lifestyle medicine can advance health equity while empowering both patients and future clinicians.

🎧 Whether you’re a trainee, educator, or clinician, you’ll walk away with actionable insights for integrating lifestyle medicine into community-based care.

Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions.

Connect with ACLM Online!

Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/

In this episode of the Next Gen LM Podcast, we explore how lifestyle medicine can help clinicians move beyond disease prevention to support a life of greater health, meaning, and quality of life. From the role of mindset in creating sustainable behavior change to finding practical ways to prioritize nutrition, movement, sleep, and meaningful connection, this conversation highlights how lifestyle medicine can be integrated into both clinical practice and everyday life.

We are joined by Dr. Simran Malhotra, a triple board-certified physician in internal medicine, hospice and palliative care, and lifestyle medicine, as well as a certified health coach with advanced training in plant-based nutrition, culinary coaching, and behavior change. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience in palliative care, her own experience navigating genetic cancer risk, and her work helping women build sustainable lifestyle habits, Dr. Malhotra shares how her personal and professional experiences shaped her approach to lifestyle medicine.

Dr. Malhotra discusses how learning about her BRCA1 genetic mutation led her to discover lifestyle medicine and changed the way she viewed both her own health and the care she provided to patients. She explores the importance of mindset, meaning, focus, and belief in creating lasting change, as well as why perfection and comparison can become barriers to progress. She also shares practical strategies for breaking goals into manageable steps, understanding the “season of life” a person is in, and focusing on what is realistic and sustainable.

By the end of the episode, listeners will gain practical insights into building sustainable lifestyle habits, overcoming perfectionism and comparison, using mindset and meaning to support behavior change, integrating lifestyle medicine into time-limited clinical encounters, and preparing for a career that helps patients live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Whether you are a medical student, resident, trainee, or practicing clinician, this conversation offers meaningful perspective and actionable strategies for bringing lifestyle medicine into your own life and career—one sustainable step at a time.

Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions.

Connect with ACLM Online!

Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/

What does it take to turn student interest into a lasting, high-impact initiative?

In this episode of LM in Motion, host Dawson Myers sits down with Jillian Lopez, second-year medical student at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, to explore how she helped bring lifestyle medicine education to life across three campuses.

Recognizing a gap in formal medical training, Jillian set out to create a space where students could learn, connect, and engage with lifestyle medicine in a meaningful, practical way. The result: a multi-campus Lifestyle Medicine Mini Conference designed to introduce future clinicians to evidence-based prevention and whole-person care.

Together, they discuss:
How she identified an unmet need within medical education

What it took to plan and execute a multi-campus event

The role of mentorship, teamwork, and early planning

Challenges like scheduling, logistics, and unexpected weather

How this model can be replicated at other institutions

This episode highlights how small, student-led initiatives can create ripple effects—shaping future clinical practice and expanding the reach of lifestyle medicine.

🎧 Whether you’re a trainee, educator, or clinician, you’ll leave with practical ideas for building community, advancing education, and turning passion into action.

Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. 

Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions.

Connect with ACLM Online!

Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/

In this episode of the Next Gen LM Podcast, we explore how lifestyle medicine can help clinicians provide more compassionate, patient-centered care for people living with obesity and chronic disease. From incorporating lifestyle counseling into busy primary care visits to overcoming stigma, misinformation, and barriers to healthy living, this conversation highlights practical ways physicians can empower patients to make sustainable changes.

We are joined by Dr. Varshi Thanikonda, a board-certified internal medicine physician with Hartford HealthCare Medical Group, whose clinical work focuses on chronic disease management, diabetes care, weight management, and sustainable lifestyle changes. Dr. Konda shares her journey from primary care into obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine, including how her training gave her practical tools to translate evidence-based medicine into language patients can understand and use.

She discusses the importance of starting with one actionable lifestyle change, using person-first language when discussing obesity, listening to patients' priorities, and meeting people where they are—including considering socioeconomic barriers to healthy food, physical activity, behavioral health, and other lifestyle interventions. She also explores the opportunities and challenges of social media in shaping conversations about obesity and health misinformation.

By the end of the episode, listeners will gain practical insights into incorporating lifestyle medicine into time-limited clinical visits, building patient self-efficacy, addressing weight stigma, navigating misinformation, and developing the listening and communication skills needed to deliver truly patient-centered care.

Whether you are a medical student, resident, or practicing clinician, this conversation offers actionable advice for bringing lifestyle medicine into your own career—and starting with small changes that can make a meaningful difference.

Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. 

Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions.

Connect with ACLM Online!

Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/

What if one of the leading preventable causes of cancer is also one of the most overlooked?

In this episode of LM in Motion, host Dawson Myers sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Farkouh, Internal Medicine resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School, to explore a powerful, trainee-led initiative focused on alcohol use and breast cancer risk.

Despite alcohol being a known carcinogen—and a significant contributor to breast cancer risk—many patients remain unaware of the connection. Dr. Farkouh shares how this gap in awareness inspired her to develop a scalable educational intervention during medical school, using simple tools to create real-world impact.

Together, they walk through:
How she identified the problem and built momentum around it

The process of turning an idea into a funded, research-backed project

The challenges of gaining buy-in and navigating limited resources

Early insights from her ongoing randomized controlled trial

Practical advice for trainees looking to launch their own initiatives

This episode is a reminder that meaningful change in healthcare doesn’t always require complex solutions—it starts with identifying a gap, taking action, and empowering patients with the information they deserve.

🎧 Whether you’re a trainee, clinician, or lifestyle medicine leader, you’ll walk away with tangible ideas for bringing prevention-focused care into practice.

Review Dr. Farkouh's research: ⁠https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf548

Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. 

Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions.

Connect with ACLM Online!

Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/