werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (07/26/85)
In the spirit of "the best criticism is self-criticism": A Federal study from the National Research Council's Commitee on Nutrition in Medical Education, said that schools are teaching too little about food and nutrition, despite the growing evidence of the importance diet plays in disease prevention. It called for more courses, more research, more and better organized nutrition departments and better testing on national boards. The comittee based its recommedations on a survey of 45 of the nations 127 medical schools. Those schools average 21 hours of nutrition education in a four-year course of study, with 60% offering less than 20hrs, and 20% providing less than 10 hrs. The report recommended a minimum of 25-30 hrs in the preclinical years. Dr. John A.D. Cooper, president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, disagreed with the report, saying that current attention to nutrition was about right right, given time constraints. He added that much nutrition education is not identified as much. He cited examples of Vitamin C, amino acids and protein as topics in Biochemistry courses. [I should add: the B vitamins are also covered in Biochemistry, Vitamin D and minerals in Endocrinology. Wound Healing and nutrition are covered in General Pathology and in Surgery. Prenatal nutrition is covered in Social Medicine and in Ob/Gyn.] -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner "The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"