The State of Nutrition Education at US Medical Schools
Table 1
Nutrition instruction hours in various contexts at US medical schools that taught nutrition during the 2012/2013 academic year*.
Course/context
Nutrition
Integrated
Biochemistry
Physiology
Clinical practice
Number of schools
22
82
45
35
55
Number of hours of nutrition instruction in this context, average (SD)
13.8 (7.3)
12.6 (10.4)
6.4 (6.0)
4.2 (3.2)
6.4 (6.6)
Total 4-year nutrition curriculum hours at schools using nutrition instruction in this form, average (SD)
22.2 (8.6)
22.1 (13.7)
21.7 (11.4)
23.1 (11.7)
24.2 (14.8)
Percent of total instruction provided in that course/context, average (SD)
66.7 (27.5)
60.3 (31.3)
31.8 (27.6)
24.3 (25.6)
25.1 (14.4)
121/133 US medical schools responded to a survey that began in 2012. Most schools that provided nutrition education did so in more than one type of course or context. SD indicates standard deviation.
