09/04/2025
In theory this is great. Reality- Doctors are already drowning in medical education, residency, and specialty training. Expecting them to also become experts in the nuanced science of nutrition is like asking your accountant to double as your financial advisor and your marriage counselor. It dilutes their expertise. This is why dietitians exist.
I went through 6 years of schooling to study nutrition through classes like biochem, organic chemistry, medical nutrition therapy and focusing on different life stages.
Our entire career is dedicated to what physicians get maybe a single lecture on in medical school. Nutrition is not just “eat your veggies” it’s about blood sugar balance, gut health, hormone regulation, inflammation, and personalized strategies for prevention and healing.
What patients really need isn’t a doctor with a crash course in nutrition. They need a team approach and better referral system.
Physicians to diagnose and treat disease.
Dietitians to implement tailored nutrition strategies.
Other allied health professionals to support the whole person.
When we try to cram “a little nutrition” into a doctor’s overflowing toolbox, we minimize the importance of nutrition itself and undermine the professionals trained in it.
Let doctors be doctors. Let dietitians be valued as a professional in nutrition.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is shaking up U.S. medical education with a bold new initiative aimed at combating chronic diseases through nutrition.
The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services has announced plans to mandate nutrition education in medical schools as part of his broader "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) campaign.
Kennedy is partnering with Education Secretary Linda McMahon to require all medical schools to submit detailed nutrition education plans by September 8, 2025. These plans will include strategies for integrating nutrition into pre-med, medical school curricula, residency programs, and beyond.
The initiative targets six key areas: pre-med standards, medical school curricula, licensing exams, residency requirements, board certification, and continuing education. Schools failing to comply could face severe penalties, including the loss of federal funding.
Why is this happening? Poor diet is the leading cause of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, which drain the U.S. healthcare system. Yet, many medical professionals receive shockingly little nutrition training—only 1.2 hours per year, on average.
Experts are backing Kennedy’s push, saying it’s high time doctors are equipped to guide patients on dietary choices. However, critics argue that the initiative must also teach physicians how to communicate about nutrition in a sensitive, nonjudgmental way.
This campaign marks a major shift toward preventive healthcare. Kennedy’s move is making waves, but will it be enough to tackle America’s rising diet-related health crisis?
