ACLM Member Interest Groups offer collaboration and networking, best practices, lifestyle medicine resources, connectedness and more.
Diana DeWolfe, PA-C, MSPAS, DipACLM, chair of the ACLM Physician Associate Member Interest Group (PA MIG), has been a physician associate (PA) for 21 years. Her healthcare journey started in family practice. After two years, she moved into the field of spine surgery, but when elective surgeries were impacted during the pandemic, she began considering the next phase of her career. She had always been interested in treating the root causes of health conditions rather than just the symptoms, so when she discovered lifestyle medicine, she felt like she had truly found her calling.
DeWolfe, who became certified in lifestyle medicine in November 2021, is an adjunct professor at Shenandoah University’s Physician Assistant Studies program, where she helped establish a student lifestyle medicine interest group (LMIG), and has recently launched her own lifestyle medicine boutique practice called Elevate Lifestyle. She’s currently completing a doctoral degree through the University of Lynchburg’s inaugural ACLM-approved lifestyle medicine track.
ACLM currently hosts 27 different MIGs where members can find a professional community that mirrors their interests and career goals. In this Q&A, DeWolfe shares why she joined ACLM and the PA MIG, why she decided to pursue a leadership role in the group, how members benefit, and what they can expect with MIG involvement.
Why did you join ACLM?
When I was introduced to ACLM by a colleague, I felt like I’d found my people and where I fit. I connected with others who had goals and interests like mine.
Lifestyle medicine also reflects a personal journey for me. My family history is one of chronic disease, with a long lifespan but not always a healthy one. I don’t want that to be my path, so I approached ACLM with both personal and professional motivations, ready to be full-on involved.
I have found that ACLM is where I belong. I was so convinced that this was the place for me when I joined the organization in 2021, I signed up and took the certification exam that same year. It’s a rigorous exam, and I was fortunate to have the friend who introduced me to ACLM as my study buddy; she was seeking certification at the same time, and we were able to bounce ideas off each other as we prepared.
Why did you get involved in the MIG?
I joined the PA MIG around the same time that I joined ACLM, but I was more focused at first on preparing for the exam. Once I achieved certification and attended my first conference and the PA MIG’s in-person meeting there, I realized what a wealth of knowledge these members have. They understand how we travel in the clinical medicine world and are this amazing brain trust in bringing lifestyle medicine into their practices.
Studying for the certification exam taught me the science of lifestyle medicine and the “why,” and the MIG helps me with the “how.” I have gained incredible resources on how to adopt lifestyle medicine into my own world and how to make it applicable to what I’m doing. There are over 450 members in the PA MIG, all active at different levels that work for them. In addition to the in-person annual conference meeting, we meet quarterly online and offer other special workshops and programming throughout the year.
What made you pursue a leadership role?
The chair position was opening up in March 2025, and it felt like a good time for me to step outside my comfort zone and offer my perspective. Based on what I was looking for when I joined, I had ideas for growing the MIG in the way we engage and interact with our members. Part of what I do with students in my teaching role is empower them, and I wanted to bring that to the MIG, to help empower our members personally and professionally and to watch them grow. I saw this as an opportunity to build connections among members and to continue my own learning and growth as well.
What you do as a leader evolves day by day, month by month, depending on the interests and needs of the members. It’s so fulfilling.
What kind of activities does the MIG do?
Quarterly meetings can vary, based on members’ feedback and the collaboration among our leadership. Most MIGs have a chair, a co-chair and a secretary. We work together so well in our group and build off each other.
Last year’s theme was engagement. We surveyed members on their topics of interest, preferred format like workshops or breakout groups, and what would bring them to more meetings. This helped shape our current year, as we shifted goals to position PAs as leaders in lifestyle medicine.
This year, we’ve hosted workshops outside our regular meetings, and we are hosting networking meetings where members can seek out connections and mentors.
We’ve challenged everyone in the group to go give micro-presentations on lifestyle medicine topics in their communities. To help them be successful, we’ve created a workshop on the art and structure of giving a presentation, and provided members with downloadable resources from ACLM and other lifestyle medicine providers and practices. We want to make it as easy as possible.
This summer, we’re hosting a workshop called “How to Fail Well.” It’s a reframe on turning a miss into a positive. We have lots of ideas for the rest of the year, including a physical activity group exercise over Zoom, and maybe a culinary cooking class around the holidays. We’re trying to be creative and bring things to our members that they haven’t seen before.
How do members benefit from a Member Interest Group?
I think the biggest benefit, regardless of your MIG, is that you gain a sense of belonging. There’s this wealth of knowledge available to you. There are people you can reach out to and bounce ideas off of. You gain access to a group of people who want to see you succeed.
A MIG is a fantastic place to find resources for mentorship. Within our MIG, I personally find such joy in celebrating and helping to inspire our members. Having that community of people who support you more than pays for the price of membership.
Find Your Community in Lifestyle Medicine
Member Interest Groups (MIGs) connect you with peers who share your clinical focus, interests, and goals. Learn from real-world experiences, exchange ideas, and build relationships that support your growth.