University of Utah Nutrition Education Model Featured by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has featured the University of Utah’s approach to nutrition education in medical and health professions training as part of its Nutrition Education in Medical Schools: A Seat at Every Table campaign.
The case study, “Embedding Nutrition into Medical Training Through Longitudinal, Team-Based Education,” highlights how the University of Utah integrates nutrition education across classroom, teaching kitchen and clinical settings. The model brings together learners in medicine, pharmacy, nutrition, nursing, occupational therapy and other health professions to build practical skills in nutrition assessment, counseling and team-based care.
At the center of the approach are registered dietitian nutritionists, or RDNs, who provide course leadership, instruction, clinical expertise and preceptorship. The Academy noted that the model helps future clinicians understand both the role of nutrition in whole-person care and when to collaborate with or refer patients to an RDN.
The University of Utah launched its Culinary Medicine program in 2016 through a partnership between the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. The program combines evidence-based nutrition education with hands-on meal preparation and patient-care applications. It has since expanded to include required medical curriculum experiences, elective coursework and nutrition services in student-led health clinics.
The next phase of the work will embed two full-time RDNs across the University of Utah’s student-led health clinics. Supported by the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and the Health Resources and Services Administration, the expansion will give medical and health professions students supervised opportunities to assess nutrition needs, counsel patients and provide interprofessional care.
The Academy’s feature recognizes the University of Utah’s sustained commitment to preparing future health professionals to make nutrition a meaningful part of patient care. By connecting education with real-world clinical experience, the program is helping students develop skills that can support healthier patients, communities and healthcare teams.
Read the full Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics case study.