A review published in the Lancet analyzed previous studies on medical education and found that nutrition education isn’t adequately incorporated in current medical curricula. Many students and professionals lacked the necessary expertise in nutritional care. Meanwhile, existing nutrition courses are marked by poor quality.
The researchers examined 24 studies all over the world, conducted from 2012 to 2018. These studies assessed medical education based on various criteria: the quality of nutrition curriculum initiatives; the perception of students on nutrition education; and the knowledge, attitudes, skills and confidence of students when it comes to nutrition counseling.
Results suggested that the needs of students in practicing nutrition care are not met by current medical education. According to the researchers, medical students wanted to hone their skills in nutrition care but perceived that their training isn’t enough to achieve this.
They cited the quality and quantity of education as major waterloos: Nutrition is not prioritized enough in the curriculum while faculty members lack the expertise or interest in teaching nutrition. Furthermore, students are not exposed enough to nutrition counseling during clinical years. These lapses in education cause major gaps in student knowledge. For example, in one of the reviewed studies, half of the medical students failed a test that measured their knowledge on nutrition care....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...
