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Nutrition Education

Project Grow medical students showing tomatoes, salads, and beans grown in the garden under a tent

At the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, nutrition content is integrated into courses and clerkships throughout the MD curriculum to foster longitudinal development of essential knowledge and practical clinical skills. In addition, students have opportunities to participate in extracurricular programs and activities to enhance their learning and experience.

Nutrition Curriculum Components

Years 1 and 2

During foundational science courses, students learn the fundamental principles of nutrition and how nutritional factors impact health – including the prevention, development, and management of chronic diseases.Ìý In the Foundations of Medicine courses, students apply this knowledge as they develop the clinical skills needed to effectively discuss nutrition and other lifestyle factors with their patients.

Year 3

As students progress to longitudinal clinical clerkships and the associated didactic curriculum, they build on their preclinical foundational knowledge and learn more advanced concepts in nutrition with a focus on real-world application to effectively address patient care needs.

Two medical students in white coats sit behind a blue table displaying food products and clear cups filled with cotton balls representing different levels of fat content. Food items on the table include a box of graham crackers, a Hershey's chocolate bar, and a container of sour cream, each paired with a cup containing a different number of cotton balls to visually demonstrate the fat content in each product.

Year 4

As students complete fourth-year rotations, they have opportunities to further apply their knowledge of nutrition and clinical skills at a more advanced level as they consider medical specialty-specific nutritional factors in the individualized care of their patients and work with interprofessional teams.

Three people stand side by side with their arms around each other, facing away from the camera. They are wearing bright green shirts with a round "Project Grow" logo on the back. The group is outdoors, near a garden with raised beds and a greenhouse visible in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.

Extracurricular Opportunities

Students may enhance their understanding of nutrition as a self-care strategy through our HealthFirst Health and Wellness Initiative.Ìý This program is designed to promote a culture of wellness for our students and our College of Medicine community. ÌýAs a community-based medical school, we also value community engagement as evidenced by our medical student-led Project Grow initiative.Ìý With funding provided by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, our students have created and maintain a community garden to address food insecurity and promote healthy eating habits by providing produce and nutrition education to members of our local community.Ìý

Additional Information
The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine offers students a variety of educational programs and degrees.
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Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
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777 Glades Road, BC-71
Boca Raton, FL 33431