JACN
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vetter, M. L.
Right arrow Articles by Kalet, A. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vetter, M. L.
Right arrow Articles by Kalet, A. L.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 27, No. 2, 287-298 (2008)
Published by the American College of Nutrition

What Do Resident Physicians Know about Nutrition? An Evaluation of Attitudes, Self-Perceived Proficiency and Knowledge

Marion L. Vetter, MD, RD, Sharon J. Herring, MD, Minisha Sood, MD, Nirav R. Shah, MD, MPH and Adina L. Kalet, MD, MPH

Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Primary Care, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York (M.L.V., S.J.H., M.S., N.R.S., A.L.K.)
Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (M.L.V.)
Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, Boston, Massachusetts (S.J.H.)

Address correspondence to: Marion L. Vetter, MD, RD, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 1907 Rodman Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146. E-mail: vetterm{at}uphs.upenn.edu

Objective: Despite the increased emphasis on obesity and diet-related diseases, nutrition education remains lacking in many internal medicine training programs. We evaluated the attitudes, self-perceived proficiency, and knowledge related to clinical nutrition among a cohort of internal medicine interns.

Methods: Nutrition attitudes and self-perceived proficiency were measured using previously validated questionnaires. Knowledge was assessed with a multiple-choice quiz. Subjects were asked whether they had prior nutrition training.

Results: Of the 114 participants, 61 (54%) completed the survey. Although 77% agreed that nutrition assessment should be included in routine primary care visits, and 94% agreed that it was their obligation to discuss nutrition with patients, only 14% felt physicians were adequately trained to provide nutrition counseling. There was no correlation among attitudes, self-perceived proficiency, or knowledge. Interns previously exposed to nutrition education reported more negative attitudes toward physician self-efficacy (p = 0.03).

Conclusions: Internal medicine interns’ perceive nutrition counseling as a priority, but lack the confidence and knowledge to effectively provide adequate nutrition education.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2008 by the American College of Nutrition.