A survey of physician clinical nutrition training programs in the United States

This survey contacted 90 medical schools and 241 universities believed to offer physicians special training in human nutrition. Seventy-two of the medical schools described an existing (67/72) or planned (5/72) clinical fellowship program. In 40 of these 67 programs, nutrition was a major clinical and research focus (greater than 30% and up to 100% of trainees time) and in 27, the nutrition emphasis was definite but more modest (about 30% of time). Between 1976 and 1981, 470 physicians completed training from these programs. Fifty-two of the universities described graduate degree courses (PhD, MPH, MS) in human nutrition open to physicians. Between 1976 to 1981 24 of these schools had enrolled and graduated 152 physicians. The results are discussed in terms of the need for standardization of the content of training programs and a certification process, recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.