MUSC seeks to promote wellness among students

Half of MUSC students don’t meet recommended weekly activity levels – and that’s bad news for their own health as well as the health of their future patients. 

That finding is from the most recent MUSC Student Satisfaction Survey, which asked students about their weekly physical activity as compared to the recommendations by the American College of Sports Medicine. 

Studies have shown that health care providers who maintain healthy habits – like exercise, healthy eating and not smoking – are more likely to counsel patients about the importance of these activities, and patients are more likely to take them seriously. In addition, research confirms the benefits of physical activity on academic performance and emotional well-being.

To that end, the university is expanding existing wellness programs and creating initiatives aimed at increasing student wellness in all six colleges. 

Kevin Smuniewski is taking on the new role of director of student wellness programs for the MUSC Wellness Center. He has enthusiastically accepted the challenge of enhancing wellness opportunities for students. 

“We want to create a culture of student-based wellness through providing a variety of new programs based on multiple dimensions of well-being. We also want to tap into the expertise of our student body. We have a vast number of multi-talented students here, and many of them come with diverse backgrounds, previous experience and skill sets that will help promote and support a successful student-focused, student-led wellness program,” he said.  

Smuniewski has created a universitywide student wellness advisory group to help gather student input to make sure programs being developed are what students want. He’s developed relationships with Student Services and Student Wellness Leaders in each of the colleges to help with college-specific wellness initiatives and communicate universitywide programs and events.  

He’s also focusing on ensuring the Wellness Center continues to meet student needs while providing new opportunities for students to optimize their well-being. For example, multiple student-led wellness events have already been hosted at the facility; there are also plans to redesign the student section of the Wellness Center website to serve as a hub for student wellness resources. 

In addition, two major universitywide initiatives are being introduced this year: Exercise is Medicine and a student edition of the Imagine U wellness incentive program. 

The Office of Health Promotion and the MUSC Wellness Center are collaborating on the creation of Exercise is Medicine, a program sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine. 

“The overarching goal is to connect clinicians with fitness professionals and to view physical activity as a vital sign,” said Susan Johnson, Ph.D., director of health promotion. 

Students who go to Student Health or Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will be asked how many days a week they exercise and for how long. Care providers will refer students who exercise less than 150 minutes per week – or half an hour for five days –to the Wellness Center for a consultation with an Exercise is Medicine-certified trainer. The voluntary 45-minute session will help students identify what’s keeping them from exercise and come up with strategies to incorporate exercise into their day. Students who already meet the recommended amount of physical activity are also welcome to meet with the trainers.

Olivia Hesslein, who is studying for a master's degree in public health and will graduate in December, has been working to get the Exercise is Medicine program started. She said this initiative is something she’d like to see as a student. 

“It’s giving them the tools and the resources to make it easier,” she said. “All the students at MUSC are intelligent people. They know what is going to make them healthier and keep them healthy, but it’s the barriers they face with time, money and resources and fitting everything into their day while not losing their academic edge.”

During October, which is “Exercise is Medicine on Campus Month,” students could attend three lunch-and-learn sessions called “Working Out Wellness.” Topics in these sessions included optimal nutrition for exercise, the benefits of yogic breathing and how to avoid being sedentary during long study hours. Already, students have asked when more sessions will be offered. 

The programs should help students improve their own wellness now as well as when they move into their careers. “It’s another angle of preparing our students for their ultimate goal of being health care providers – and hopefully leaders in the industry,” Smuniewski said. 

This coming spring, Smuniewski and his team will be rolling out a program for students that mirrors the Imagine U Employee Wellness Program. Like the employee program, the student program will offer prizes for completing health and wellness challenges.  “We want to offer something that students will want and be able to use to continue to achieve their well-being goals such as Apple watches and even wellness stipends,” Smuniewski said.

To create the challenges that students will have to complete to be eligible for prizes, Smuniewski is meeting with units within the Division of Education and Student Life and other departments across campus to see what equipment and infrastructure are already in place. For example, the library has a treadmill desk. One challenge could involve using it a certain number of times during the semester.

On top of the new initiatives, Smuniewski manages the existing intramural sports program. The program attracts approximately 1,000 people annually and includes five sports leagues that span the entire school year: flag football, volleyball, winter basketball, indoor soccer and summer basketball. Teams are open to students, faculty and staff as well as Wellness Center members. 

Smuniewski said he typically sees the most participation from the Colleges of Medicine, Health Professions and Dental Medicine. Part of the task ahead is working with the other colleges to increase participation among their students in both intramurals and in student wellness programming.