[Pillars for excellence in nutrition support units. Training]

Area of Science:

• Clinical Nutrition
• Medical Education
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Clinical nutrition has rapidly evolved, with 98% of large hospital endocrinology/nutrition departments including a dedicated unit.
• Professional training is identified as a critical factor for the excellence and development of these specialized units.
• Existing nutrition education in medical degrees is insufficient and inconsistent, necessitating improvement aligned with ESPEN guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical need for enhanced and standardized nutrition training for healthcare professionals.
• To address the heterogeneity in nutrition education across various medical and allied health university programs.
• To emphasize the importance of defining roles and coordinated training for multidisciplinary clinical nutrition units (UNCyDs).

Main Methods:

• Analysis of current nutrition training landscapes in medical, pharmacy, and nursing degree programs.
• Review of existing curricula and professional development initiatives in clinical nutrition.
• Identification of gaps in coordinated training efforts for multidisciplinary nutrition support teams.

Main Results:

• Nutrition training is scarce and heterogeneous in medical degrees, requiring updates.
• Specialist training for endocrinology and nutrition doctors has improved due to specific programs.
• Hospital pharmacy and nursing nutrition education is variable, and related degrees focus heavily on dietetics.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant need to improve and standardize nutrition education across all healthcare disciplines.
• Coordinated efforts are essential to define the roles and enhance the training of professionals in multidisciplinary nutrition units.
• Updating curricula and training programs is vital to meet the evolving demands of clinical nutrition practice.