Nutrition teaching in medical and dental schools occupies a low priority, despite the recent advances in basic-science, clinical and preventive areas. A comprehensive survey of our curricula at the Tufts Medical and Dental Schools has shown the same lack of emphasis on nutrition, with virtually no exposure to clinical and prevention aspects of nutrition. In recognition of this deficiency, the several nutrition units at Tufts have formed the Health Sciences Nutrition Council and assigned two committees to deal with nutrition education. The purpose of this application is to provide resources to design, implement and evaluate a comprehensive nutrition program in both schools, under the direction of the Council and the recently formed committee. Joint resources and faculty would be integrated into the effort for teaching medical and dental students. While all aspects of nutrition would be upgraded, the emphasis would be prevention of cancer and chronic diseases through nutrition strategies. Among the approaches to be introduced in the preclinical years are: expand the current Nutrition Course in the second year by additional topics and two Laboratory Sessions dealing with nutrition assessment and therapeutic/preventive diets; add nutrition topics to the current basic science curriculum; add nutrition """"""""electives"""""""" to the list of Tuesday afternoon (required) courses for first and second year students; and add nutrition-related cases to the required Problem Based Learning course. Additions to the clinical program include Clinical Nutrition Rounds in third-year Surgery at the several teaching sites; Diet Lunches in the third-year Medicine and Pediatric clerkships; and elective offerings in nutrition for senior medical and dental students. This expanded nutrition program will be evaluated by the Dean of Undergraduate Education, who is a member of our committee, using the standardized SERMEN examination, student evaluation forms, and ongoing surveillance of the nutrition curriculum. Tufts has a strong faculty in nutrition, especially in the area of nutrition in prevention of cancer and chronic diseases. This grant will allow us to mobilize our resources to provide an integrated and comprehensive teaching experience in nutrition for medical and dental students.
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