Salutogenesis in Medical Education

Salutogenesis, a term coined by Israeli-American medical sociologist Aaron Antonovsky in 1979, focuses on the origins of health and the factors that promote it, rather than solely on the causes and treatment of disease. Antonovsky's theory rejects the traditional medical-model dichotomy and emphasizes the importance of personal dispositions in fostering resilience to stressors in daily life. Influenced in public health, healthcare, education, and community development, salutogenesis emphasizes asking the right questions to find relevant answers to health-related questions.The health and wellbeing of college students are not just about individual health but also about the environment they live and learn in. A salutogenic approach to health-promoting focuses on the health potentials inherent in social and institutional settings, rather than the deficit model of disease. Campuses should integrate health into campus culture, share resources, collaborate with instructors, and ensure wide access to resources. Combining traditional pathogenic focus with salutogenic focus is recommended for a sustainable model of health promotion on campuses.