• Overview
  • Dietary Advice for General Health
  • Diet Evaluation Standards
  • Special Training and Licensure
  • Organizations and Agencies in Nutrition
• Disease States
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • HIV+
  • Hypertension
  • Weight Loss and Maintenance
• Interventions
  • Supplements
  • Multivitamins
  • Probiotics
  • Antioxidants
• Resources
  • Clinician Resources
  • Journals, Newsletters, Magazines, Websites
  • Lifecycle

Special Training and Licensure

There are few programs that offer physicians specific training and education in nutrition (see Resource section below) and approximately only 25% of medical schools in the US have a required nutrition course. Therefore, many physicians are self-taught in this area. There are a small number of M.D, Ph.D.s (Nutrition) but the idea of a Physician Nutrition Specialist is being encouraged by the American Society of Clinical Nutrition with a qualifying exam.

Nutritionists and dietitians are part of the health team that often works with the physician to provide nutrition information and patient education. Their training is outlined in the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Department of Labor.

Critical Thinking Questions Useful in Evaluating the Credentials of a "Nutrition Expert"

1. Where did they receive their education? How many courses did they have? Was it at the undergraduate level or the graduate level of education?
2. Was an exam required or a specific clinical training period required in their education?
3. How familiar are they with the current scientific literature on the topic you are interested in?
4. Can they explain to you the mechanism by which their dietary suggestions will increase your health profile?
5. Do they have a financial interest in their recommendations?

Resources and Links

• American Board of Bariatric Medicine
  American Society of Bariatric Physicians
  Independent medical specialty board responsible for certifying physicians in the field of bariatric medicine. "A bariatrician is a licensed physician (Doctor of Medicine [MD] or Doctor of Osteopathy [DO]) who, as a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP), has received special training in bariatric medicine the medical treatment of overweight and obesity and its associated conditions."
• American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists
  Intersociety Professional Nutrition Education Consortium
  Definition of Physician Nutrition Specialist, curriculum guide, FAQ, exam announcements, etc.
• Certification Exam for Nutrition Support Physicians
  National Board of Nutrition Support Certification, Inc.
  Independent board administering certification programs in nutrition support for medical clinicians. Established by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
• Nutrition Academic Award Program
  (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute grant program)
  "A 5-year grant awarded to successful applicant schools of medicine and osteopathy throughout the U.S. ... to encourage the development or enhancement of medical school curricula to increase opportunities for students, house staff, faculty, and practicing physicians to learn nutrition principles and clinical practice skills with an emphasis on preventing cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases."
  • Nutrition Curriculum Guide for Training Physicians
  • Tufts Nutrition Academic Award Progra