A mini-fellowship in clinical nutrition for primary care physicians

When the Regional Nutrition Center's (RNCs) mini-fellowship was being devel oped, physicians teaching in medical schools and residency programs had lit tle formal training in nutrition, so it was difficult to identify faculty t o serve as role models and clinical preceptors. Using funds provided by an NIH/NCI R-25 grant, the mini-fellowship in clinical nutrition was developed as a model to meet the nutrition education needs of senior residents and j unior faculty in primary care disciplines. It provided a brief but broad ex posure to clinical nutrition topics, with a focus on issues relevant to the practice of primary care and teaching skills. In four weeks, fellows compl eted didactic course work, a clinical preceptorship, and a teaching project . Tracking of the 55 physicians who completed the program by questionnaires has shown significant improvement in their nutrition-related patient care activities.