Nutrition Education at SHSU-COM

Nutrition is a cornerstone of whole-patient care and a practical tool physicians use every day to help prevent and manage chronic disease. At Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM), nutrition education is integrated throughout the medical school experience, helping student doctors build the knowledge and confidence to provide patients with evidence-based guidance.

Osteopathic medicine has emphasized whole-patient care since its founding in 1874. This includes helping patients understand how food patterns, access, and daily choices affect health across the lifespan.

At SHSU-COM, we teach nutrition as part of prevention-focused care and patient counseling, with attention to the real-life factors that shape health decisions.

This approach is reflected in how nutrition is taught, applied, and reinforced throughout the curriculum.

OUR COMMITMENT

SHSU-COM builds on an established foundation of integrated nutrition education as part of medical training. We are aligning our curriculum with national recommendations, including guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to ensure our student doctors are prepared to address diet-related chronic disease through evidence-based, patient-centered care.

A detailed overview of our approach, including curriculum integration and competency alignment, will be shared as part of our ongoing efforts.

integrating nutrition

Nutrition is not treated as a one-time topic. It is reinforced across courses and learning experiences so students can connect nutrition science to clinical decision-making and patient care.

Students learn to:

• evaluate nutrition information using evidence, not trends
• translate science into practical, patient-ready guidance
• support behavior change with empathy and realistic goal-setting

FACULTY EXPERTISE

Strengthened by dedicated expertise within the College, faculty with specialized training and credentials in nutrition science contribute to the curriculum at each phase of learning, ensuring students build a strong, evidence-based foundation.

This expertise is woven throughout the curriculum, helping student doctors apply nutrition principles in clinical settings and confidently incorporate them into patient care.

INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION

SHSU’s Health Professions Complex in Conroe, Texas is designed to support team-based care. The Health Professions Building, located next door to SHSU-COM, creates an environment where health professions learners train in close proximity and collaboration.

This setting supports interprofessional education alongside SHSU’s master’s degree in dietetics and provides access to a teaching kitchen environment. These spaces support applied learning through food science projects and demonstrate how medical nutrition therapy can help prevent disease and slow disease progression.

A collaborative environment like this reflects real-world care models, where physicians work alongside registered dietitians and other professionals to support patient outcomes.

How Nutrition Competencies Are Developed

Foundational Knowledge and Clinical Application

Student doctors build a foundation in nutrition science and apply it in clinical contexts, including metabolism, disease prevention, and nutrition-related chronic conditions.

Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making

Student doctors learn to interpret clinical data, patient history, and lifestyle factors to inform nutrition-related care and recommendations.

Patient Communication and Behavior Change

Training emphasizes counseling skills, including translating evidence into practical guidance and supporting sustainable lifestyle changes.

Interprofessional and Team-Based Care

Student doctors have opportunities to work alongside other health professionals, including dietetics, to support coordinated, patient-centered care.

Applied and Experiential Learning

Hands-on learning opportunities, including access to teaching kitchens and case-based experiences, reinforce the connection between nutrition science and patient care.

Monitoring our efforts

Nutrition Education Dashboard (In Development)

An overview of curriculum integration, competencies, and outcomes will be available.

SHSU-COM continuously reviews and evolves its curriculum to ensure alignment with current evidence and national recommendations. This includes identifying opportunities to expand nutrition education and tracking how these concepts are reinforced across the curriculum.