Furthering Lifestyle Medicine Through the Donald A. Pegg Student Leadership Award: Reflections From 2023 Awardees

Abstract

The Donald A. Pegg Leadership Award, established in 2016 by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), recognizes emerging leaders in Lifestyle Medicine by awarding key seed funding to support Lifestyle Medicine Interest Groups (LMIGs) and conference support to attend the ACLM’s annual conference. Through its generous support of students and LMIGs, the Pegg Award has been instrumental in catalyzing transformations in medical education, promoting awareness and integration of key Lifestyle Medicine principles into curricula. The present narrative highlights the stories of the 5 2023 Pegg Award recipients, detailing their efforts in advancing Lifestyle Medicine within their institutions and communities. By implementing novel initiatives and forging strategic partnerships, awardees have made major strides in fostering interest in Lifestyle Medicine among students, faculty, and communities-at-large; each of the students’ reflections highlights unique applications of the Pegg award which subsequently showcase an evolving set of best practices for LMIG operations. It is our hope that these 5 exemplary stories underscore students’ commitment to expanding networks of LMIGs, fostering collaboration, and creating community around Lifestyle Medicine both locally and nationally—and the far-reaching impact of the Donald A. Pegg Student Leadership Award in shaping the future of Lifestyle Medicine.