The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Education issued a call to action as part of its “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. This directive mandates the comprehensive integration of nutrition education across six critical areas:Â
- Pre-Medical Standards
- Medical School Curricula
- Medical Licensing Examination
- Residency Requirements
- Board Certification,
- Continuing Education.
By September 10, 2025, U.S. medical education organizations must submit written plans detailing their commitments to nutrition education. For deans, educators, and administrators, this is both a challenge and an opportunity: strengthening curricula in ways that directly improve patient care.
Why nutrition education matters
According to the AAMC, nutrition plays a critical role in the prevention, management, and treatment of chronic health conditions including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and certain cancers. Future physicians must be able to integrate evidence-based nutritional strategies into clinical decision-making and communicate effectively with patients about diet, lifestyle, and food access.
Medical schools have made progress, but gaps remain in areas such as food allergies, drug-nutrient interactions, food insecurity, cultural responsiveness, and the environmental impact of dietary choices. The new HHS mandate creates the urgency for closing these gaps with competency-based, integrated teaching.
How to Meet the September 10 Deadline: Immediate Support is Here
Lecturio provides an immediate, turnkey solution to help institutions meet the September 10 deadline. Resources like our dedicated Nutrition Education Learning Path is ready for rapid deployment and includes:
- 310+ videos
- 50 Qbank questions
- 700+ recall questions
- A draft for a required written plan required by HHS by Sept 10
Our curriculum already addresses core topics highlighted in the AAMC survey, including obesity and bariatric care, food access and security, macronutrient and micronutrient science, and nutrition in disease prevention.
Beyond Compliance: Building a Future-Ready Nutrition Curriculum
Lecturio is continually expanding its nutrition resources to reflect evolving competencies. Coming updates include:.
- Updated video courses across all aspects of nutrition
- Concept pages summarizing nutrition concepts, recommendations, and standards
- New Qbanks spanning all aspects of new requirements
- Additional recall questions supported by spaced repetition
- Updated clinical cases covering nutrition requirements
- Podcasts covering the new nutrition requirements
- Updated tracking and reporting capabilities to support your accreditation reporting
Enhancing Clinical Reasoning with NEJM Healer
Effective nutrition education goes beyond memorization; it requires clinical application. Through the NEJM Healer virtual patient simulation platform, Lecturio is actively adding and highlighting clinical reasoning cases that incorporate the new nutrition requirements. This integration ensures that students and residents can apply their nutritional knowledge in realistic, diagnostic scenarios.
Partner with Lecturio: Empowering Your Medical Program
The HHS nutrition mandate is a calling for more preparation for healthcare professionals. Lecturio is your partner in answering that call. We provide the tools, the content, and the expertise to seamlessly integrate robust nutrition education into every stage of your medical training program.
Don’t let the September 10 deadline create undue stress. Empower your students and residents with the essential knowledge they need to tackle the nation’s pressing health challenges.
Ready to transform your nutrition curriculum and ensure full compliance?
Book a consultation today to discuss how Lecturio can support your medical school or residency program in meeting these new requirements and shaping the future of medical education.
