How UIWSOM Integrates Nutrition Education
Student physicians preparing Tostadas Deliciosas in UIWSOM Teaching Kitchen in collaboration with the CHEF SA program. (February 10, 2020)
Nutrition Education From Week One
From the first week of medical school onwards, nutrition is integrated throughout the curriculum, including in Large Group Sessions (LGS), Small Interactive Group Sessions (SIGS), Developing Osteopathic Clinical Skills (DOCS) and Structures (STRX) LGS in Phase I, as well as Basic Science Clinical Correlations (BSCC) in Phase II.The University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) is part of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiative aimed at advancing nutrition education in medical training, with plans to further expand the nutrition curriculum in the coming year.
Topics Covered in the Nutrition Curriculum
Notable topics of the integrated nutrition curriculum at UIWSOM include an emphasis on whole foods, differentiation of common dietary patterns and nuanced discussion of macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and their respective food sources. Nutritional considerations are additionally applied to a wide range of conditions, including specific medicinal foods, supplements and botanicals for the prevention and treatment of common disease states.Patient-Centered Nutrition Counseling Training
Nutrition education at UIWSOM is coupled with longitudinal training in motivational interviewing to ensure individualized, patient-centered, actionable counseling in clinical clerkships and beyond.Hands-On Learning Through Campus Resources
Student physicians mulching and weeding newly-planted spring crops in the UIWSOM Community Garden. (April 23, 2026)
A teaching kitchen and community garden on campus further enhance learning, with additional opportunities for extracurricular engagement with the Food As Medicine (FAM) Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) and Gardopia Gardens.