Jonathan Broad1, Megan Wallace2. 1. 1School of Social and Community Medicine,University of Bristol,Bristol BS8 2PN,UK. 2. 2Peninsula Medical School,University of Plymouth,Plymouth,UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Doctors play an important role in the identification of nutritional disorders and as advocates for a healthy diet, and although the key tenets of good nutrition education for medical students have been discussed, reports on implementation are sparse. The present commentary responds to a gap in UK medical students' understanding of nutrition and public health and suggests ways to improve it. DESIGN: We review literature about nutrition education in medical schools and discuss a 6-week elective in public health nutrition for medical students. We discuss suggested competencies in nutrition and compare means of students' confidence and knowledge before and after. SETTING: A nutrition and public health elective in a UK medical school, discussing advocacy, motivational interviewing, supplements, nutritional deficits, parenteral nutrition, obesity services. We utilised multidisciplinary teaching approaches including dietitians, managers and pharmacists, and students implemented a public health activity in a local school. SUBJECTS: Fifteen final-year medical students were enrolled; sixty school pupils participated in the public health activity. RESULTS: The students were not confident in nutrition competencies before and were taught less than European counterparts. Students enjoyed the course, had improved knowledge, and felt more confident in interviewing and prescribing supplements. Feedback from the local school was positive. CONCLUSIONS: Students in our UK medical school were not confident in their required competencies within the confines of the current educational programme. An elective course can improve medical students' knowledge. Similar courses could be implemented in other medical schools to improve nutrition and public health knowledge and practice in future doctors.
OBJECTIVE: Doctors play an important role in the identification of nutritional disorders and as advocates for a healthy diet, and although the key tenets of good nutrition education for medical students have been discussed, reports on implementation are sparse. The present commentary responds to a gap in UK medical students' understanding of nutrition and public health and suggests ways to improve it. DESIGN: We review literature about nutrition education in medical schools and discuss a 6-week elective in public health nutrition for medical students. We discuss suggested competencies in nutrition and compare means of students' confidence and knowledge before and after. SETTING: A nutrition and public health elective in a UK medical school, discussing advocacy, motivational interviewing, supplements, nutritional deficits, parenteral nutrition, obesity services. We utilised multidisciplinary teaching approaches including dietitians, managers and pharmacists, and students implemented a public health activity in a local school. SUBJECTS: Fifteen final-year medical students were enrolled; sixty school pupils participated in the public health activity. RESULTS: The students were not confident in nutrition competencies before and were taught less than European counterparts. Students enjoyed the course, had improved knowledge, and felt more confident in interviewing and prescribing supplements. Feedback from the local school was positive. CONCLUSIONS: Students in our UK medical school were not confident in their required competencies within the confines of the current educational programme. An elective course can improve medical students' knowledge. Similar courses could be implemented in other medical schools to improve nutrition and public health knowledge and practice in future doctors.
Entities:
Keywords:
Medical education; Nutrition; Public health; Undergraduate education
Authors: Evelyne Van den Broucke; Barbara Deleenheer; Ann Meulemans; Julie Vanderstappen; Nelle Pauwels; Katrien Cosaert; Isabel Spriet; Hans Van Veer; Roman Vangoitsenhoven; João Sabino; Peter Declercq; Tim Vanuytsel; Charlotte Quintens Journal: J Med Syst Date: 2022-07-09 Impact factor: 4.920