The teaching of nutrition in medical schools

ABSTRACT

Heretofore, the teaching of nutrition in our medical schools has been fragmented into the various preclinical and clinical subjects, notably biochemistry, medicine, pediatrics and preventive medicine, but nutrition aspects of each discipline have been so integrated in the teaching that it has lost much of its identify and its impact on the students as he goes through the medical curriculum. The lack of a coordinating mechanism seems to be a problem that cries for solutionA review of reports on the teaching of nutrition in medical schools and the steps that have been taken to improve and evaluate it in the United States is given to add to the background of the discussion of our own problem of producing properly oriented physicians who can contribute to the effort to respond to the health needs of our country, chiefly that of nutrition. Suggestions to accomplish this objective that have come up during the discussions in the Second National Conference on Medical Education in May, 1972 under the auspices of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC), are summarizedAn educational program with special emphasis on nutrition in one medical school in this country is cited to show how local facilities can be utilized for effective teaching and learning. There remains the need for the development of proper evaluation methods which can be applied to all the medical schools as they make changes to improve nutrition teaching. (Summary)