2022–2023 Obesity Management in Primary Care Training and Certificate Program

Enhancing Practice Management and Leadership Skills for Clinicians

The 2022–2023 Obesity Management in Primary Care Training and Certificate Program is a unique, self-paced professional certificate program that is 100% online! It is designed for Physician Associates (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) who want to develop the skills required to establish obesity management within a primary-care practice.

This program will help you develop your knowledge and skills so you can effectively implement obesity management best practices and lead practice transformation. By engaging in this unique professional certificate program, you will learn from expert faculty as you work to overcome barriers and sustain achievable outcomes that distinguish you as a leader in your profession!

This self-study course will engage learners in ten on-demand learning modules where you’ll have access to clinical webinars, virtual coaching recordings, downloadable resources, and more! To complete this course, we anticipate learners will spend between 20 to 25 hours reviewing and completing the various activities. Credit details can be found here.

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Prerequisites for Participation

To prepare for this intensive course, candidates will participate in a preliminary webinar from the 2022 Emerging Challenges and Clinical Updates Obesity Management and Training Program by the National Association for Continuing Education. In it, you will learn from national obesity thought leaders and gain the foundational knowledge required to be successful in completing this certificate program.

To participate in the Certificate Program, you must be a PA or NP who:

• Works in Primary Care
• Have direct patient care with patients with obesity for at least 16 hours a week
• Have English proficiency; written and verbal
• Work in an outpatient setting

The certificate program will help you enhance your procedural knowledge in the following areas:

• Obesity screening and assessment
• Guidelines in obesity management
• Assessing patients’ readiness
• Engaging patients in shared decision-making and developing treatment plans that include considerations such as lifestyle and nutrition changes and taking pharmacotherapies
• Emerging treatment options and anti-obesity medications
• Patient counseling and motivational interviewing techniques
• Bariatric surgery and weight loss devices
• Implementing practice changes to support obesity management in primary care

Program Structure & Cost

The 2022—2023 Obesity Management in Primary Care Training and Certificate Program is designed for busy clinicians working in primary care. This dynamic, self-paced training program consists of ten modules that participants can move through at their own pace. Most learners will complete the program in 20 to 25 hours! The course will remain available until March 31, 2024. The program is closed for new registrants.

Upon completion, learners will receive a professional certificate from The Obesity Society (TOS). TOS is the leading medical association for Obesity Medicine in the US and globally. The professional certificate is in addition to the CME/CE credits awarded for each completed activity in this program. Credit details can be found here.

The activities associated with the 2022–2023 Obesity Management in Primary Care Training and Certificate Program include:

• A preliminary webinar as a prerequisite for the certificate program. Some of you may have been directed here after completing this webinar in Part I of this program. For all others, a link to complete the webinar will be provided within the course.
• A comprehensive practice assessment (at the beginning and completion of the program)
• Ten 60–90-minute modules that each contain the following:
  • Assigned readings
  • A clinical webinar
  • A practical implementation and clinical pearls virtual coaching webinar

In addition, the following will be included within one or two of the modules:

• • One online enduring podcast activity
  • One online enduring Decision Points activity
• Module topics include:
  • Pathophysiology
  • Overcoming Bias
  • Screening and Diagnosis
  • Foundations of Treatment
  • Pharmacotherapy
  • Devices and Surgery
  • How to Apply Foundations of Care When Obesity is the Chief Complaint
  • Managing Patients with Obesity-related Complications
  • Documentation, Billing, and Coding
  • Blueprint of Care: Putting It All Together
• A robust online resource center with downloadable educational tools for providers, staff and patients

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  Program Cost

  This professional development and certificate program costs just $299 per person.

  The partners analyzed tuition rates of other comparable certificate programs, finding ranges from $450 to nearly $6,000. AAPA, TOS, and NACE are able to extend discounted pricing of this program to PAs and NPs because of the independent medical educational grant support received from Novo Nordisk.

Accreditation

The 2022-2023 Obesity Management in Primary Care Training and Certificate Program has been reviewed by the AAPA Review Panel and is compliant with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for up to 18.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. Approval is valid through March 31, 2024.
 

The 2022-2023 Obesity Management in Primary Care Training and Certificate Program is approved for up to 17.25 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes up to 4.0 hour(s) of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners®. This activity was planned in accordance with AANP Accreditation Standards and Policies. Approval is valid through March 31, 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Collaborators

Founded in 1968, the American Academy of PAs is the national professional society for PAs. It represents a profession of more than 150,000 PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and the uniformed services.

AAPA advocates and educates on behalf of the profession and the patients PAs serve. We work to ensure the professional growth, personal excellence, and recognition of PAs. We also enhance their ability to improve the quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of patient-centered healthcare.

For this program, AAPA will be responsible for global project leadership, provide accreditation, and oversee outcomes and compliance standards.

NACE strives to offer continuing education opportunities that provide learners in the fields of medicine, behavioral health, education, and related disciplines with the most up-to-date, science-based information. This enables them to increase their knowledge, skills, confidence, and professional performance, which ultimately benefits the health of the public.

The NACE Vision
NACE aspires to be recognized as the leader in continuing education and to be known for its comprehensive suite of programs that are tailored to the individual needs of practitioners, all of which emphasize innovation, outcomes, and clinical relevance.

NACE’s Commitment to Compliance
NACE received re-accreditation as an ACCME provider with Commendation in April 2020 and is committed to complying with the criteria and standards set forth by ACCME, ACCME’s Content Validation Value Statement, and the AMA’s Standards and Ethical Opinions, in order to ensure that its certified educational activities meet the highest standards.

Founded in 1982, The Obesity Society (TOS) is the leading professional society focused on obesity science, treatment, and prevention.

Our approximately 2,800 members worldwide are people like you, ranging from early career to established members of the field, including:

• Basic and clinical researchers
• Clinicians and care providers
• Educators
• Early career investigators
• Students

OUR VISION: Solving the challenges of obesity through deeper understanding and coordinated action.

OUR MISSION: To promote innovative research, effective and accessible care, and public health initiatives that will reduce the personal and societal burden of obesity.

OUR VISION: Rigorous science, highest professional standards, and strength through diversity.

The Obesity Society, its members and staff pledge to uphold:

• Compassion for the lives and situations of those living with obesity.
• Responsibility for advocacy, treatment and investigation, all working toward a cure for obesity.
• Respect for each other and all who are touched by obesity.
• Progress for furthering knowledge about obesity using appropriate scientific standards.
• Mentorship for helping, teaching and supporting our colleagues.
• Highest Ethical Standards for all our actions, writings, programs, and services.