Nutrition Education and Training for Health Science Professionals1

Suboptimal nutrition is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United Kingdom (UK). Although patients cite physicians as trusted information sources on diet and weight loss, studies suggest that the management of nutrition-related disorders is hindered by insufficient medical education and training. Objectives of this study were to: (1) Quantify nutrition-related learning objectives (NLOs) in UK postgraduate medical training curriculums and assess variation across specialties; (2) assess inclusion of nutrition-related modules; (3) assess the extent to which NLOs are knowledge-, skill-, or behaviour-based, and in which Good Medical Practice (GMP) Domain(s) they fall. 43 current postgraduate curriculums, approved by the General Medical Council (GMC) and representing a spectrum of patient-facing training pathways in the UK, were included. NLOs were identified using four keywords: ‘nutrition’, ‘diet’, ‘obesity’, and ‘lifestyle’. Where a keyword was used in a titled section followed by a number of objectives, this was designated as a ‘module’. Where possible, NLOs were coded with the information to address objective 3. A median of 15 NLOs (mean 24) were identified per curriculum. Eleven specialties (25.6%) had five or less NLOs identified, including General Practice. Surgical curriculums had a higher number of NLOs compared with medical (median 30 and 8.5, respectively), as well as a higher inclusion rate of nutrition-related modules (100% of curriculums versus 34.4%, respectively). 52.9% of NLOs were knowledge-based, 34.9% skill-based, and 12.2% behaviour-based. The most common GMP Domain assigned to NLOs was Domain 1: Knowledge, Skills and Performance (53.0%), followed by Domain 2: Safety and Quality (20.6%), 3: Communication, Partnership and Teamwork (18.7%), and 4: Maintaining Trust (7.7%). This study demonstrates considerable variability in the number of nutrition-related learning objectives in UK postgraduate medical training. As insufficient nutrition education and training may underlie inadequate doctor-patient discussions, the results of this analysis suggest a need for further evaluation of nutrition-related competencies in postgraduate training.

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A perspective on nutrition education and training

Journal of Nutrition Education ◽

10.1016/s0022-3182(79)80019-9 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 176-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Audrey N. Maretzki

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Education And Training ◽

And Training

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Challenges and opportunities for nutrition education and training in the health care professions: intraprofessional and interprofessional call to action

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.3945/ajcn.113.073536 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 99 (5) ◽

pp. 1184S-1193S ◽

Cited By ~ 81

Author(s):

Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili ◽

Jay M Mirtallo ◽

Brian W Tobin ◽

Lisa Hark ◽

Linda Van Horn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Education And Training ◽

Call To Action ◽

Health Care Professions ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

And Training

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Nutrition education and training program model for evaluation and planning

Evaluation and Program Planning ◽

10.1016/s0149-7189(95)00013-5 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 253-258

Author(s):

Mahassen Ahmad

Keyword(s):

Training Program ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Education And Training ◽

Program Model ◽

And Training

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Are we teaching health science students in the United States what they need to know about death and dying coping strategies?

Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions ◽

10.3352/jeehp.2021.18.29 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 ◽

pp. 29

Author(s):

Randy D. Case ◽

Erica Judie ◽

Tammy Kurszewski ◽

Wenica Brodie ◽

Pollyann Bethel

Keyword(s):

Death And Dying ◽

The United States ◽

Education And Training ◽

Health Science ◽

Self Report ◽

Science Students ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Clinical Rotations ◽

Health Science Students ◽

And Training

Purpose: This investigation aimed to answer the following questions: Are health science students provided with death and dying education before attending clinical rotations, and if so, do the students receiving this type of education perceive it as effective?Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional survey, 96 Midwestern State University health science students were surveyed to determine the percentage of students who had received death and dying education before clinical rotations, as well as the students’ perception of educational effectiveness for those who had received end-of-life training. A self-report questionnaire presented nursing, radiologic sciences, and respiratory care students with a series of questions pertaining to the education they had received concerning the death and dying process of patients.Results: Of the 93 students who had already started their clinical rotations, 55 stated they had not received death and dying education before starting clinical courses. Of the 38 who had received death and dying education, only 17 students believed the training was effective.Conclusion: It is imperative that health science educational programs implement death and dying education and training into the curriculum, and that criteria for evaluating effectiveness be an essential part of death and dying education and training in order to ensure effectiveness.

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