Informal Nutrition Education Programming for Medical Students

OBJECTIVES: Current undergraduate medical education (UME) in nutrition counseling does not adequately prepare physicians to perform nutrition education and weight-management interventions. Given the constraints in formal undergraduate medical curricula, filling this educational void can be achieved by supplementing current curricula with an elective program that provides proper nutrition education and hands-on learning opportunities with subject matter experts. Our objective was to create a standardized and reproducible interest group-based program that incorporates educational modules and direct practical experience for medical students. METHODS: Course modules were created by undergraduate and graduate dietetic students. The educational material was then revised by Registered Dietitians (RDs) and university nutrition professors. RDs were recruited by utilizing the registry for dietitians located in the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) South Region. An incentive for RD recruitment was created using continuing education units (CEUs) for those who host medical students to shadow. Medical students were recruited via student interest group social media forums. RESULTS: Creation of the course materials required roughly 190 hours, while recruitment of RDs and medical students added an additional 20 hours. Final course material consisted of 11 online learning modules to be supplemented with at least 12 hours of coordinated RD shadowing per participant. A total of 8 RDs pre-registered for weight-management consultation shadowing and mentoring while 38 medical students pre-registered for the program. CONCLUSIONS: Due to medical school curriculum constraints, informal routes of nutrition education must be explored. This program includes the necessary foundation required for medical students to perform nutrition counseling and can potentially be reproduced at the national level to better standardize nutrition education at the UME setting. FUNDING SOURCES: None.