Improving Medical Student Access to Nutrition During the Core Surgery Clerkship

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Student Wellness
• Nutrition in Healthcare

Background:

• Medical education, particularly surgery clerkships, presents significant challenges to maintaining a healthy diet.
• Students report difficulty accessing nutritious food options due to demanding schedules and patient care obligations.
• Lack of consistent access to food impacts overall student well-being during demanding rotations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and impact of a pilot program offering healthy snacks to medical students during surgery clerkships.
• To address the nutritional needs and improve the wellness of students facing time constraints.
• To evaluate student utilization and perceived benefits of accessible, healthy snack options.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the Nutritional Wellness Initiative, a 3-month pilot program providing healthy snacks at three hospital sites.
• Surveying medical students participating in the pilot program and comparing responses to a control group.
• Collecting data on snack utilization and student perceptions of food access and wellness.

Main Results:

• Less than 50% of students in both pilot and control groups reported eating lunch daily during their surgery rotation.
• 63% of students participating in the Nutritional Wellness Initiative utilized the provided healthy snacks at least once per week.
• Both groups recognized the importance of food access for student wellness during the workday.

Conclusions:

• The Nutritional Wellness Initiative demonstrates a viable model for enhancing student access to nutritious snacks during demanding surgical rotations.
• Addressing nutritional needs is crucial for supporting medical student well-being.
• Future program optimization involves collaboration with lifestyle medicine experts and developing student educational resources on healthy snacking.