Incorporation of Online Nutrition CME Courses in State‐Level Education Libraries Aid to Improve Physician Knowledge

Abstract

Post‐graduation physician skills are limited with respect to nutrition basics and nutrition counseling skills, creating a gap between physician expertise and patient demands. This is due in large measure to a lack of nutrition training in medical school. With the emergence and increase in “lifestyle diseases” such as diabetes and obesity, physicians need to play a key role discussing these with patients. Our research objective was to provide online nutrition education to physicians to help prepare them for patient interactions. We launched two online courses through state‐level medical association education libraries starting in 2016 to provide nutrition training to physicians: “Frontiers in Type 2 Diabetes: The Role of Nutrition in Health” and “Stimulating Nutrition and Lifestyle Education with the Overweight Patient”. Online courses are advantageous to busy clinicians due to convenience and ease of accessibility. The initial participant pool (n=27) was comprised of 14 males and 13 females from over ten urban areas, representing 1–41 years in practice in family medicine, obstetrics, surgery, anesthesiology and ten other specialties. More than 85% of the participants surveyed lacked knowledge on the prevalence of diabetes in the U.S., and over 50% of participants were unable to define the purpose of Medical Nutrition Therapy, according to our pre‐test results. Following completion of the online CME courses, data gathered from post‐tests showed positive improvements in learning as related to questions specific to the courses. Thus, online CME nutrition education courses may increase physician nutrition knowledge in specific, critical areas such as lifestyle diseases. Ultimately, such courses will help physicians be better able to integrate nutrition counseling with patients in order to improve health outcomes and decrease recurring visits.Support or Funding InformationJane Elizabeth Watkins Cohen Nutrition Education Endowed Scholarship