American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 38, 800-810, Copyright © 1983 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Development of core competencies in clinical nutrition

EA Young, E Weser, HM McBride, CP Page and JH Littlefield

A nationwide survey of core competencies of nutrition knowledge and skills that primary care physicians should know and/or be able to do has been completed. Nutrition competencies were synthesized from a review of clinical nutrition practices as reported in the medical literature and by medical school faculty group discussions. A nutrition competency questionnaire was sent to 445 practicing physicians and to 752 department chairpersons in every US medical school in the disciplines of family practice, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery. The overall response rate for practitioners and faculty combined was 46.03%. Of the 55 nutrition competencies, 28 items received very strong support (greater than 90% of respondents marked agree or completely agree). Twenty-two competencies received strong support (80 to 89% of respondents marked agree or completely agree), and five items received mixed support (40 to 79% of respondents marked agree or completely agree). Statistical comparisons of the item responses between practitioners and faculty were significantly different (p less than 0.05) on 19 (35%) of the items. It is anticipated that the 50 nutrition competencies that have received strong or very strong agreement among the 551 physicians representing primary care disciplines across the US will serve as guidelines for continued development of medical school curriculum and continuing medical education in clinical nutrition.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. V. Mihalynuk, J. B. Coombs, M. E. Rosenfeld, C. S. Scott, and R. H. Knopp Survey Correlations: Proficiency and Adequacy of Nutrition Training of Medical Students J. Am. Coll. Nutr., February 1, 2008; 27(1): 59 - 64. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. H. Maiburg, J.-J. E Rethans, L. W. Schuwirth, L. M. Mathus-Vliegen, and J. W van Ree Controlled trial of effect of computer-based nutrition course on knowledge and practice of general practitioner trainees Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2003; 77(4): 1019S - 1024. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Tobin, K. Welch, M. Dent, C. Smith, B. Hooks, and R. Hash Longitudinal and Horizontal Integration of Nutrition Science into Medical School Curricula J. Nutr., February 1, 2003; 133(2): 567S - 572. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L Taren, C. A Thomson, N. A. Koff, P. R Gordon, M. J Marian, T. L Bassford, J. V Fulginiti, and C. K Ritenbaugh Effect of an integrated nutrition curriculum on medical education, student clinical performance, and student perception of medical-nutrition training Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2001; 73(6): 1107 - 1112. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M Taylor and A. Baker Nutrition knowledge in paediatric intensive care J Child Health Care, December 1, 1997; 1(4): 163 - 167. [Abstract]

				J. K. Devenport Competency-Based Curriculum for Pharmacy Practice Journal of Pharmacy Practice, January 1, 1990; 3(2): 80 - 84. [PDF]