Medical Nutrition Education

Greater than one in three Kalamazoo County residents are living with at least one chronic disease.1 The risk factors for chronic disease are largely modifiable, with diet ranking at the top of the list.2 Therefore, WMed is committed to excellence and innovation in medical nutrition education to change the trajectory of chronic disease. Since its inception, WMed has prioritized nutrition as an integrated discipline woven throughout all four years of the M.D. program. Driven by evidence-based guidelines,3 trainees receive the knowledge and skills to motivate dietary behavior change in themselves and the communities they serve. Housed within a larger focus on lifestyle medicine,4 WMed’s nutrition curriculum is uniquely tailored to fit the institution’s vision. Our aim is to teach nutrition through the lens of health equity, providing cost-effective, accessible, and sustainable nutrition habits for those in the Southwest Michigan community.

As part of our commitment to excellence in medical nutrition education, in 2026, WMed established a Nutrition Discipline Committee chaired by Abigail Solitro, PhD. The committee is tasked with the ongoing development of innovative strategies for integration of the nutrition discipline across all four years of medical training. In addition, beginning with the graduating class of 2030, WMed’s Well-Being in Medicine Distinction Program will feature a Lifestyle Medicine Concentration, offering electives that dive deeper into nutrition’s role in the prevention, management, and even remission of chronic disease.

Training in nutrition begins the very first week of medical school. Although not an exhaustive list, our current required curricular events in the pre-clinical phase cover topics such as:

  • Pillars of lifestyle medicine
  • Nutrition across the lifespan
  • Dietary guidelines
  • Macronutrients and micronutrients
  • Integration of nutrition and metabolism
  • Hormonal control of satiety/hunger
  • Chrononutrition
  • Cultural aspects of eating
  • Food labels
  • Ultra-processed foods
  • Probiotics and dietary supplements
  • Food allergies
  • Nutrition assessments
  • Food security, screening tools, and resources to improve food access
  • Motivational interviewing practices
  • Feeding and eating disorders
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Dietary interventions for chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s Disease)
  • Teaching kitchen experiences in partnership with Kalamazoo Valley Community College

References