RFK Jr. Calls for Universal Nutrition Education in Medical Schools Following HHS Mandate
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Following a recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) demand that medical schools integrate nutrition into their curricula, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has amplified calls for complete nutrition education for future doctors. HHS recently directed medical education standards organizations to devise plans within two weeks to incorporate nutrition into licensing exams and residency requirements.
Teh HHS mandate aims to address a long-standing gap in medical training, with proponents arguing that a stronger understanding of nutrition is crucial for preventative care and managing chronic diseases. While the directive is new, some local medical schools report already meeting-and exceeding-the forthcoming standards.
Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia has included nutrition in its curriculum since the late 1990s. According to Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology and Physiology Michael White, students currently dedicate approximately 20 hours to learning about vitamins, food labels, and assessing patient nutritional needs. “Given how much nutrition we already cover, we don’t have much to worry about with that declaration from HHS and the Department of Education,” White said. He emphasized the faculty’s long-held belief in nutrition’s importance to overall health.
cooper Medical School at Rowan University in New Jersey also reports a robust nutrition program, extending beyond coursework to include research and community outreach. Assistant dean and Professor of Biomedical Sciences Sangita Phadtare highlighted student involvement in initiatives like the Cooper Sprouts community Garden and educational programs for Spanish-speaking residents on interpreting food labels and building affordable, healthy meals. “As a school,we try to do our part as we believe that Camden is our home,” phadtare stated. “Even without anybody telling us that, we should be doing that.”
While both institutions express confidence in their current offerings, leaders acknowledge the potential for further expansion of nutrition education. The HHS directive, available at https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-education-nutrition-medical-training-reforms.html,signals a nationwide push for greater emphasis on nutrition within the medical field.