For my Module 13 Assignment, I developed and presented a 1 credit online elective course titled “Yoga as Medicine.” Assisting me in delivery were Ginger Garner PT, Libby Trausch PT and Kate Cardamon PT. The course was delivered in modules with each module spanning one week. A total of 47 students enrolled in the course. Ten were Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students, and 37 were Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Of the DPT students, 7 were 1st year students, 28 were 2nd year, 2 were 3rd year students. As part of the course, students needed to fill out pre and post outcome instruments of the Perceived Stress Scale, Self-Compassion Scale and Oxford Happiness Scale. They also collected respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure pre and post course. As part of the course, I conducted a pilot research study. The study allowed us to access the results of the pre and post outcomes. The inclusion criteria included: the student should not have significant health issues, either physical or mental; should not take prescription medication for hypertension or mental health issues, and should not have practiced yoga more than 6 times in the last 6 months. Our final number in the study was 12 yoga elective students, and 12 control subjects from the DMU student community. The results from the pilot showed students in the control group had no change in any of the measures while students in the yoga group showed statistically significant improvements in all scales and respiratory rate. We submitted an abstract and will present a poster att CSM 2017.Student comments of the course:Students put 1-3 hours of extra work per week beyond listening to the required assignments. They felt this was a high workload for an elective course compared to other electives at the university. This workload falls into the expected workload for each hour of lecture but most electives in the university do not require the expected workload. The workload was primarily in the required yoga practice. They had difficulty fitting in the required asana practice per week but adapted to the pranayama and meditation and enjoyed that aspect of the class very much.The videos of asana and their modifications were particularly helpful for their learning.44/47 students plan on using yoga as part of their medical practice. Students that did not plan on doing so cited continuing unfamiliarity with some aspects of yoga. Most students enjoyed the online nature of the course secondary to flexibility but would have like to have the ability to move ahead. On heavy weeks of regular classes they wanted the option to skip the class but to make it up at another time.The students that participated in the optional weekly yoga class, wanted it to be mandatory or at least some of the classes to be required. They felt it facilitated their learning. Most students noted a small decrease in their vital signs, particularly respiration. The largest noticeable physical change for students was improved sleep.

I will run this class again in the fall 2016 where I anticipate less participants since our first years will have just started the DPT program, our second years will be on internships, and our third years will be back on campus but most have completed electives by this time. The following ideas will be incorporated in the next time this course runs:
1. Possible use of a recommended text book. I will get a review copy of Ginger’s book and can obtain one for the library. Several students asked for a reference book.
2. Continue to offer the optional yoga classes, maybe increasing to 2 times per week. Continue to link the practice to what was going on in class. I also had some focused classes i.e. focus on low back pain, foot and ankle, Parkinson’s disease, asana that we haven’t covered. During the Ayurvedic lecture week maybe focus on digestion. Add more music to classes. Consider making 2 classes during the elective mandatory. Also, consider videotaping the optional classes.
3. Consider changing the assignment where they need to come up with 3 asana related to a pathology to having them submit a video of the same including teaching pranayama and meditation. This would achieve the objective of giving them actual teaching skills.
4. Student requested a glossary of terms with definitions.
5. During the first week I have a lot of info to cover and I want them to start practicing ASAP. Define to them that their pranayama practice will be diaphragmatic breathing until we cover the pranayama lecture.
6. Give 2 weeks for the completion of the article appraisal.
7. Give an example of an article critique for those students who have not covered it in the curriculum.
8. Allow working ahead so students can adapt workload to their school schedule.
My take away
I am really pleased how this course turned out. Although the creation of the course was very labor intensive, the delivery of the course was not a heavy workload. I can see delivering it Fall and Spring for at least 2 years before I need to revamp and update it.
I developed a lot of learning during the making of this course. New learning opportunities occurred with creating the videos with the appropriate instruction, learning about pranayama, meditation, and the subsequent neurophysiology behind them, teaching the optional yoga classes, and creating a totally online class in D2L(Learning management system)