The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (JHSOM) Teaching Kitchen: A Novel Recipe for Nutrition Education

Abstract

To develop and implement an interactive educational model to equip medical students with the skills to address the increasing prevalence of nutrition-related diseases. Although the public generally considers doctors as “very credible” sources of nutrition information, nutrition is generally underemphasized in medical school curricula and most students do not feel adequately trained in nutritional counseling. To address the deficiency of nutrition education in the medical profession, “Teaching Kitchens” have emerged as interactive, hands-on methods for nutrition education. The conceptual framework behind the “Teaching Kitchen” model is based on the general goals of providing nutrition knowledge that enables physicians to counsel patients on nutrition-related issues and serve as role models of healthy dietary practices. The JHSOM Teaching Kitchen is unique in that it was student-initiated and founded by first year medical students who recruited faculty mentors as well as registered dietitians and culinary experts. This multidisciplinary team with medical, nutrition, and culinary expertise have worked together to develop an engaging curriculum to convey essential nutrition knowledge and culinary skills that students can use to counsel patients on the impact of food and diet on their health. Pre and post-surveys are administered to evaluate the impact of Teaching Kitchen sessions on culinary skills and nutrition knowledge and determine improvement strategies for future sessions. The “Teaching Kitchen” model provides a multidisciplinary and innovative platform for medical students to gain nutrition knowledge and practical culinary skills. Moreover, this model is a promising method to equip the medical profession with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the global increase in nutrition-related diseases.