PURPOSE: Given the recent calls for increased nutrition education in
health professions training, proposed revision of LCME standard 7 to include
nutrition, and publication of nutrition competencies for medical students and
physician trainees, there is a need for sharing best practices and
innovations in medical curricula toward meeting these competencies. At
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, we use a combination of
simulation, clinical, and classroom experiences to give students a broad
understanding of basic science and clinical knowledge paired with skills they
can take forward into clerkships.
METHODS: We built a one-week long Nutrition Rotation in the M2 year that
utilizes a simulation experience where the nutrition-focused physical exam is
demonstrated with guidance and evaluation from clinical faculty in small
groups. Students also spend a 4-hour clinical shift one-on-one with a
Registered Dietician Nutritionist in a community hospital where they apply
principles of nutritional management by integrating biological and
psychosocial sciences, collaborating effectively within the care team, and
recognizing the complexities in nutritional therapies. The flipped classroom
session is a case-based learning experience where students integrate
biochemical and clinical science in small groups.
RESULTS: This rotation is run at each of our two pre-clerkship campuses with
8 students per group. It is offered 12 times per campus per academic year and
has been running since 2019 resulting in over 1000 students participating in
this rotation. Through these experiences, we are able to provide students
with opportunities to progress toward 20 of the 36 competencies published in
Eisenberg 2024. Further, this rotation receives positive feedback with an
annual average of over 4 on a Likert scale.
CONCLUSIONS: Using a diverse curriculum including simulation, clinical, and
classroom experiences, we are able to provide a comprehensive nutrition
education opportunity that addresses recommended medical nutrition
competencies.