RFK Jr. and medical schools pledge expanded nutrition training for future doctors

More than 50 U.S. medical schools have agreed to assess curricula and post plans aiming for roughly 40 hours of nutrition education or an equivalent beginning this fall, a move announced as voluntary by the Department of Health and Human Services. The effort follows Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push for more nutrition training and a January HHS list of 71 subject areas schools could consider.

Over 50 U.S. medical schools have agreed to take steps to expand nutrition education, officials announced ahead of an event at the Department of Health and Human Services. The schools said they will assess current curricula and post plans to reach roughly 40 hours of nutrition instruction or an equivalent starting this fall. The effort follows Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s public push for more nutrition training and a January HHS framework of suggested subject areas. The commitments are voluntary and allow schools to design their own programs. Key facts: - More than 50 medical schools have agreed to assess their nutrition curricula and post plans aiming for about 40 hours of instruction or an equivalent beginning this fall, senior health officials said. - The Department of Health and Human Services circulated a list of 71 subject areas in January that schools could consider, but officials said no single curriculum is being required. - The announced participants include George Washington University, Tufts University and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, according to HHS. - The administration framed the effort as voluntary and planned a celebratory announcement at an HHS event on Thursday. - The Association of American Medical Colleges and the accrediting body do not set specific course requirements; a 2015 survey reported that many schools in 2012–2013 did not meet a 25-hour nutrition-instruction benchmark. - Some nutrition experts welcomed renewed emphasis on food and health, while others expressed skepticism citing concerns about the source of the initiative. Summary: The announcements reflect a voluntary, administration-supported push to increase nutrition content in medical education. Participating schools will post plans and many aim to implement expanded coursework starting this fall, but specific content and timelines will vary by institution.