Medical Student Meal Support for Patients With Eating Disorders

Patients hospitalized for eating disorders (EDs) often experience distress during supervised meals, and medical trainees frequently report limited comfort caring for this population. We developed Meal Partners, a mealtime support initiative designed to support hospitalized pediatric patients with EDs while improving trainee confidence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this medical-student-led service.

Meal Partners was implemented at a tertiary pediatric hospital in collaboration with the Eating Disorder Interdisciplinary Team. Medical student volunteers completed structured training on inpatient ED care, mealtime support, and communication strategies. Hospitalized patients undergoing nutritional rehabilitation were referred for meal support. Patient, caregiver, and volunteer surveys assessed perceptions of the program, while meal completion percentages were compared between meals with and without volunteer support. Pre- and post-volunteering surveys evaluated volunteer comfort and understanding of ED care.

Six hospitalized patients assented to participate, with four ultimately receiving meal support. Thirty-two medical students completed training, and post-volunteering surveys demonstrated increased comfort interacting with patients with EDs, improved understanding of the inpatient experience, and reduced uncertainty in these interactions. All volunteers reported that the experience would benefit their future clinical practice.

Meal Partners demonstrates the feasibility and acceptability of a medical student-led mealtime support initiative for patients hospitalized with EDs. Preliminary findings suggest benefits for medical education supporting further expansion and evaluation of this low-cost intervention.