Purpose: To provide a rationale regarding the importance of physician behavior change counseling. To describe the double helix behavior change curriculum at the University of Rochester (UR). To provide initial evidence that the curriculum is effective. Design/methodology/approach: Evidence that physician use of the 5A's model is effective in changing important patient health behaviors is summarized. The behavior change curriculum is described. Initial evidence assessing knowledge, attitudes and skills for behavior change counseling is reviewed. Findings: Physicians will be better prepared to intervene to improve their patients' quality and quantity of life if they consistently counsel patients using a brief standard model (the 5A's) that integrates biological, psychological, and social aspects of disease and treatment. Past efforts in the UR's curriculum have demonstrated that students adopt broader "biopsychosocial values" when the curriculum supports their learning needs. Initial evidence demonstrates that double helix curriculum students learn this model well and are able to provide the counseling in a patient-centered style. Research limitations/implications: These results are limited by the observational design, and the reliance on student self-reports and standardized patient observations of student behavior rather than change in patient behavior. Practical implications: Strong evidence exists that physicians can be effective in providing behavior change counseling. Additional research is called for to create, implement, and fully evaluate behavior change counseling curricula for medical students. Originality/value: An example of a behavior change curriculum is provided for medical educators, and initial evidence of its effectiveness is provided. (Contains 2 tables.)