Bringing the “Joy of Healthy Eating” to Advanced Medical Students: Utilizing a Remote Learning Platform to Teach Culinary Medicine: Findings from the First Online Course Based on the ACLM’s Whole-Food Plant-Based Culinary Medicine Curriculum

Over 80% of chronic disease is caused by lifestyle practices, including an unhealthy diet. Despite this, most medical students in the United States graduate having received minimal nutrition education, guidance towards improving their nutrition, or skills needed to coach patients to adopt a healthier diet. This study aimed to educate fourth-year medical students in evidence-based knowledge regarding a delicious, whole-food plant-based diet while introducing practical culinary skills and patient coaching skills. We adapted an open-source culinary medicine curriculum designed for in-person teaching of pre-clinical medical students to provide a novel 1-month online elective to fourth-year medical students. We used a 26-item pre/post questionnaire to assess change in evidence-based knowledge regarding nutrition, culinary skills, patient coaching skills, and attitudes toward a whole-food plant-based diet. In addition, we reviewed narrative comments by the student participants, course directors, and medical-school administrators. Scores in all 4 domains were tested, and for all individual questions, they showed statistically significant improvement following the course. Most narrative responses were positive, and areas for improvement were also identified. We successfully adapted an open-source whole-food plant-based culinary medicine curriculum for advanced medical students into a 1-month elective taught on a virtual platform. This course filled a need for training in nutrition and counseling for these students as they start their professional careers.