Education in Nutrition Medicine: the Critical Role of Medical Students

Abstract

Statement of the ProblemThe Healthy People 2010 and the US Preventive Services Task Force recommend that physicians provide nutritional counseling to their patients. Less than 10% of fourth‐year students at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) felt well‐prepared to address nutritional concerns with patients.ObjectiveTo enhance medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and counseling skills in nutrition medicine.MethodThe Student Nutrition Awareness and Action Council (SNAAC) was created in 2009–10. Second years students lead SNAAC's activities and recruit first‐year students to become the next year's leaders. SNAAC has a membership of 56 students and a primary mentor who is a Physician Nutrition Specialist. Major support comes from medical school funds and foundation awards.InterventionSNAAC activities are classified in five categories: 1) education: students work with BUSM's Nutrition Vertical Integration Group to create and update a virtual nutrition medicine course; 2) community outreach: students work with high‐school students to create nutrition tools for community‐based interventions; 3) clinical practice: students conduct interviews at a pediatric obesity clinic; 4) advocacy: students promote healthier food options at cafeterias on‐site and work with regional nutrition/obesity committees to change policies; and, 5) events: students hold a nutrition‐lecture series. As a result, SNAAC obtained the best student presentation award at the John McCahan Education Day and became a featured program of BUSM's Deans Service Learning Initiative and Wellness Initiative.Future DirectionTo partner with BU dietetic interns and public health students and expand this partnership to other universities. To provide opportunities in research and global health.Support: 2010 CNIP award, American Society for Nutrition (Hannah Milch, BA); The New Balance Foundation Award and Loomis, Sayles & Company Charitable Fund (Carine Lenders, MD)