ESSENTIALS OF NUTRITION EDUCATION IN MEDICAL-SCHOOLS - A NATIONAL CONSENSUS

Medical students of the American Medical Student Association establish ed the Nutrition Curriculum Project (NCP) with the goals of ensuring t hat adequate nutrition information be taught to medical students; ensu ring that there be a framework for integration of nutrition topics at all levels of medical education; and formulating and disseminating ess ential information for nutrition assessment and management in clinical practice. As a first step, the NCP assembled a ten-member advisory bo ard to develop a comprehensive list of nutrition topics deemed essenti al for the adequate training of physicians. The advisory board consist ed of medical and nutrition educators, physicians, and clinical specia lists representing major U.S. professional nutrition organizations. Th e NCP's director coordinated the decision-making process through its t hree iterations. Final accord on 92 topics was achieved with unanimous approval of the board in 1994. These topics, organized in five major categories, are offered as a guide to the reform of nutrition educatio n and as the basis of a satisfactory nutrition curriculum.