(Las Cruces, NM and Melbourne, FL) — Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM) today announced its formal commitment to enhance nutrition education across its Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) curriculum in alignment with the January 8, 2026, call to action from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Beginning in Fall 2026, BCOM will implement a minimum of 40 hours of required nutrition education integrated longitudinally across all four years of undergraduate medical education. The curriculum will meet or exceed the 40-hour benchmark through a structured competency-based framework informed by the HHS Medical Education Nutrition Competency Framework.
Advancing Clinical Nutrition Competency
BCOM’s expanded curriculum will integrate nutrition education across biomedical sciences, systems-based courses, clinical skills training, and clinical clerkships.
The program will emphasize:
- Foundational nutrition science and metabolic health.
- Nutrition assessment and biomarker interpretation.
- Evidence-based dietary interventions for chronic disease prevention and reversal.
- Culinary medicine and practical food-based counseling skills.
- Interprofessional collaboration in patient-centered nutrition care.
- Public health and food systems awareness.
Students will develop competencies in evaluating diet-related contributors to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions that disproportionately impact underserved communities — populations central to BCOM’s mission.
A Competency-Driven Approach
In addition to structured instructional hours, BCOM will align its curriculum with nationally outlined nutrition competencies across multiple domains, including foundational knowledge, patient assessment, communication, public health, experiential learning, and lifestyle-integrated medical interventions.
Competency achievement will be assessed through objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), case-based learning, biomarker interpretation exercises, and clinical performance evaluations.
Implementation and Accountability
As part of this initiative, BCOM will:
- Conduct a comprehensive baseline review of current nutrition content.
- Designate a faculty champion to lead development and longitudinal integration.
- Publicly post its nutrition education implementation plan and progress metrics.
- Track measurable outcomes related to student competency attainment.
Aligning with Osteopathic Principles
As an osteopathic medical school, BCOM’s holistic philosophy emphasizes prevention, lifestyle medicine, and whole-person care. The expansion of structured nutrition education further reinforces that commitment and supports the preparation of physicians capable of integrating food-based and metabolic health interventions into everyday clinical practice.
BCOM looks forward to collaborating with federal partners and peer institutions to elevate the standard of nutrition education nationwide.
