The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine proposes and educational program to prepare medical students in the scientific basis and clinical application of nutrition, specifically its relationship to cancer prevention and management. The proposed program expands the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's pilot efforts to develop and implement and integrated nutrition program throughout the four-year medical curriculum and fulfill a nutrition competency requirement for all students prior to graduation. This proposal has the endorsement of the Dean, Vice Dean for Medical Education, and an internal advisory board of nationally-known scientists in the fields of nutrition, cancer, and human behavior. To promote and enhance interdisciplinary initiatives in research and education, the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center maintains a network of inter-institutional and inter-departmental organizations as well as external affiliations with academic and research institutions. The proposed program draws upon these multidisciplinary/multi- institutional research and service activities to develop a coherent educational program in nutrition and cancer across the four-year curriculum. The objective of the program is to provide students with the scientific basis of nutrition and its application in the general care of patients for the prevention of illness, the maintenance of health, and clinical care, specifically the prevention and treatment of cancer. This is to be accomplished through a program of integrated learning that actively involves students in acquiring, evaluating, and using information. Principles of basic science, clinical medicine, and epidemiology will be presented in case studies developed by a multidisciplinary faculty. Student seminars, small-group study teams, journal clubs, and contact with patients in ambulatory care settings, will also be significant components of the program's design to enable them as practicing physicians to understand the nutritional needs of their patients. A student evaluation program to assess knowledge and skills is planned. This program of evaluation will be compatible with the educational goals and will feature student, peer, and faculty assessment opportunities.
