A new advisory by the American Heart Association provides successful methodologies right now being utilized to coordinate clinical nourishment all through undergrad and graduate medicinal training courses, rather than a one-time course. Furthermore, it likewise gives data about surveying nourishment learning and capabilities and frameworks sustenance assets and proceeding with medicinal training exercises.
It reviews current gaps in medicinal sustenance instruction and preparing in the United States and outlines changes in undergrad and graduate therapeutic instruction to help more hearty nourishment training and preparing endeavors.
Karen E. Aspry, M.D., M.S., the lead statement author and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island said, “Despite evidence that physicians are willing to help educate patients about healthy eating and are viewed as credible sources of diet information, they engage patients in diet counseling at less-than-desirable rates and cite insufficient knowledge and training as barriers, even during their peak learning years.”
The National Academy of Sciences recommends undergraduate medical students receive a minimum of 25 classroom hours dedicated to nutrition education. But according to a 2013 survey, 71% of medical schools offer less than that and even 36 percent among them provide less than half that amount.
Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., R.D., co-chair of the writing group and professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois said, “Nutrition is a dynamic science with a rapidly evolving evidence base requiring continual updating and renewed translational efforts. The competencies outlined in this statement provide a foundation with flexible options for advancing nutrition knowledge and skills across the learning continuum, and a toolkit for medical school curriculum directors, program directors, faculty, trainees, and students.”
The advisory is published online in the journal Circulation.