Nutritional Education

At the OU College of Medicine, we recognize food as a fundamental driver of health. Nutrition influences the prevention, management, and treatment of many chronic diseases, yet it has historically been underrepresented in medical training. Our program is designed to equip future physicians with the knowledge and skills to integrate nutrition into patient care and personal wellbeing.

Food Is Medicine

Scientific evidence links dietary patterns to conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Poor nutrition contributes to inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and impaired resilience, while healthy eating supports longevity and disease management. We train physicians to view nutrition as a core component of clinical care.

Integrating Nutrition into Medical Education

Several nutrition competencies are already addressed within the College of Medicine's integrated preclinical curriculum through foundational science content, case-based learning (CBL), and clinical reasoning activities. In addition, the OU School of Community Medicine in Tulsa delivers two lifestyle-focused courses incorporating nutrition counseling, culinary medicine, and healthy lifestyle behaviors.

These components align with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medical Education Nutrition Competency Framework, which recommends a minimum 40-hour equivalent exposure across ten domains of nutrition education:

Foundational nutrition and metabolic health
Nutrition assessment and diagnosis
Patient-centered communication
Interprofessional collaboration and referral
Public health and community nutrition
Experiential learning through culinary medicine
Nutrition alongside medical therapies
Personal wellness for healthcare professionals
Food systems and environmental impacts
Billing and reimbursement for nutrition services
Experiential and Community Focus

View the Department of Health and Human Services Medical Education Nutrition Competency Framework (.PDF).

IMPACT

Through enhanced nutrition education and hands-on learning, medical students connect evidence with practice while gaining deeper insight into food access and community health. These initiatives will reach approximately 232 students per class across both our Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses — nearly 928 medical students annually — preparing future physicians to deliver more comprehensive, preventive, and patient-centered care, including diet-related disease prevention, treatment, and counseling.