| Clinical Nutrition Training ProgramThrough generous funding from the Allen Foundation, the department has developed a unique clinical nutrition training program for medical students. This project addresses dual objectives not typically included in most medical school curricula. The clinical nutrition training program provides nutritional assessment and intervention to underprivileged pregnant patients attending the Prentice Ambulatory Care (PAC) clinic. Under the supervision of a specially trained dietitian, third year medical students are provided “hands-on” training in nutrition counseling by interacting with these patients. Healthy, pregnant, underserved patients are thus provided with nutrition education that would normally be unavailable to most of them, while simultaneously serving as a training ground for future physicians. The dietitian is the preceptor who assures the overall quality and continuity of the program. Both students and patients have responded very favorably to this approach. Data are currently being collected to determine potential impact on birth outcomes. |
