Educating Future Physicians in Nutritional Science and Practice: The Time Is Now

Abstract

The need to educate and train future physicians about nutrition and wellness has become increasingly apparent in the past decade. A rising incidence of chronic health conditions with a nutrition background (e.g., obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes) has led to an even greater need for nutrition educational content in medical school curricula so that physicians may counsel patients regarding their lifestyle factors. This review provides an overview of the successful development and integration of a nutrition thread in a 5-year medical school curriculum. Based on a survey conducted in our medical school program, students beginning medical school are lacking formal nutrition education, as only 8% arrived with some form of exposure. Despite this, nearly 85% of these medical students recognized that nutrition education is necessary in their training, and 70% state that the nutrition education they have received has influenced the way they care for patients.Key teaching points Physicians are faced with rising incidence of chronic health conditions that have a nutritional risk factor Physician self-care including optimal nutrition to support resilience is gaining importance. Nutrition education in medical schools is inadequate to address these rising needs. Implementing a comprehensive nutrition curricula that addresses personal wellness strategies, basic science concepts related to nutrition, and diagnosis and management of diseases that can be modified by or are related to nutrition as a topic thread that is woven throughout all years of the curriculum highlights the importance of nutrition in health and disease.