Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nutrition is important in disease prevention and clinical management of patients. Students have previously reported overall dissatisfaction with the nutrition curriculum at Canadian medical schools and unpreparedness in their knowledge and skills in this area. AIMS: To investigate students’ perspectives about the undergraduate curriculum in nutrition at Dalhousie University medical school. METHODS: All students in their second (Med-2), third (Med-3), and fourth year (Med-4) of medicine at Dalhousie University were invited to anonymously complete a 23-item online survey. Responses were graded on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating Very Dissatisfied/Strongly Disagree and 5 indicating Very Satisfied/Strongly Agree. The study was conducted at beginning of the second half of the academic year. RESULTS: Of the 340 students, 89 (26.2%) completed the survey. Mean satisfaction with the nutrition curriculum was 2.9 ± 0.81. Most students (81.5%) agreed that they received sufficient training regarding nutrition assessment (mean 3.98 ± 0.89). Students were uncertain about adequacy of training regarding basic nutrition principles (mean 3.51 ± 0.92), nutrition in disease prevention (3.14 ± 1.12), nutrition and disease management (mean 3.48 ± 1.00), role of registered dietitians (mean 2.97 ± 1.05)) and credible nutrition sources (mean 3.14 ± 1.09). Most students did not feel they received sufficient training in dietary intake assessment (mean 2.72 ± 0.94), nutrient requirements across the lifecycle (mean 2.58 ± 0.91), strategies to address food security(mean 2.4 ± 0.95), and malnutrition(mean 2.74 ± 0.93). Med-4 students were significantly more likely to believe they received adequate training about role of dietitians compared to Med-2 (p<0.003). All questions asking about the importance of nutrition were ranked as Agree/Strongly Agree. The majority (79%) agreed that more nutrition instruction is needed. Recommendations to improve learning included a longitudinal nutrition curriculum, clinical application of nutrition principles, evidence-based nutrition sources, and a healthy food environment. When compared to a similar national survey done in 2010, satisfaction with curriculum in nutrition remains unchanged and most students still want more instruction. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students recognize the importance of nutrition and would like more education in this area. The undergraduate nutrition curriculum should be enhanced by making it longitudinal and incorporating a variety of education tools to cover competencies such as dietary intake assessment, food security and malnutrition. FUNDING AGENCIES: None