Beth Frates

Beth Frates, MD, is a trained physiatrist (a medical doctor specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation) and a health and wellness coach, with expertise in lifestyle medicine. She has receied several teaching accolades from Harvard Extension School and Harvard Medical School, where she is an associate professor, part-time. Dr. Frates is one of the first fellows of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and a pioneer in lifestyle medicine. In 2008, Dr. Frates created the first Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group at Harvard Medical School. In 2014, she developed and taught a college lifestyle medicine curriculum at Harvard Extension School, and it is still one of the most well-received courses offered at the school. In 2017, Dr. Frates was selected to be one of four item writers for the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine’s inaugural exam for certification in this specialty. She was voted president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine in August 2020. Dr. Frates served as president until November 2024, and now serves two years as immediate past president. Dedicated to mentoring, she won the Women in Medicine I Stand With Her annual mentoring award for women mentoring women in 2024.

Dr. Frates coauthored The Lifestyle Medicine Handbook: An Introduction to the Power of Healthy Habits, which was ranked in the top 20 by Book Authority for medical books released in 2018. To accompany the syllabus and handbook, she also cocreated Lifestyle Medicine 101, a full college curriculum with twelve weeks of PowerPoints and a teacher’s manual, which is free and accessible through the ACLM website. In addition, Dr. Frates coauthored The Teen Lifestyle Medicine Handbook (2020) which, when paired with the Teen Curriculum consisting of a teacher’s manual and twelve PowerPoint decks, can be used to teach and empower middle school and high school students to adopt and sustain healthy habits. In 2023, Dr. Frates coauthored The Lifestyle Medicine Pocket Guide and coedited Empowering Behavior Change in Patients. Most recently, in June 2024, she coedited the book Essentials of Clinical Nutrition in Healthcare.

Dr. Frates has created and implemented a twelve-step wellness program, PAVING the Path to Wellness™ for patients and providers. Most recently, she coauthored the book PAVING the Path to Wellness Workbook: A Guide to Thriving with a Healthy Body, Peaceful Mind and Joyful Heart. In addition, Dr. Frates has her own lifestyle medicine consulting/coaching practice where she sees patients one to one and in groups.