Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching: An Interprofessional Course for Pharmacy, Medical, and Dietetic Students.

Abstract

Background Poor nutrition and lifestyle choices are major contributors to the development and progression of various chronic diseases. Enhancing patients' awareness of healthy nutrition and lifestyle habits by interprofessional healthcare teams can play a significant role in tackling many chronic diseases, particularly in underserved communities with inequitable access to healthcare and educational opportunities. However, healthcare professionals are not adequately prepared to provide effective, culturally competent nutrition and lifestyle coaching due to a lack of emphasis on these topics in the curricula of many healthcare professional programs. Objective This study introduces a virtual, interprofessional, team-based elective course to address the curricular gap in nutrition education among healthcare professional programs. Methods Quantitative and qualitative pre-/post-surveys were utilized to evaluate course impact on student's knowledge, confidence in coaching families, and interprofessional competencies. Quantitative pre-/post-training scores were analyzed by a two-tailed, Mann-Whitney test, where P < 0.05 indicated a significant difference. Additionally, student learning outcomes were assessed using readiness assurance testsand application exercises, along with end-of-course presentations and mock interviews. Results Pre-/post-course assessments (n = 16) demonstrated significant improvement in students' confidence in coaching families (20%; P = 0.01) and knowledge of coaching curriculum (87%; P < 0.001). Improvement in different interprofessional competencies ranged between 15% (P = 0.002) and 46% (P < 0.001). Course material/activities, facilitation, impact on learning new knowledge/skills/mindset, and application in future practice were applauded by 81-94% of students. Conclusion Positive outcomes of this course encourage future offerings and systematic incorporation of similar training in healthcare professional programs to prepare clinicians capable of transforming lives through interprofessional, patient-centered nutrition and lifestyle coaching.