MCG at Augusta University joins National HHS Nutrition Education Initiative

June 9, 2026 - 21:42

The Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University has signed on to a nationwide push by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve how doctors learn about nutrition. The initiative, part of the HHS Nutrition Education and Training program, aims to weave more dietary science into medical school curricula.

MCG Dean David Hess, MD, praised the quick work of the school's academic affairs team in adapting to the new standards. "I appreciate our academic affairs team and their rapid and thoughtful response to make these additions to our curriculum," Hess said.

The move reflects a growing recognition that many physicians feel underprepared to counsel patients on diet and lifestyle. Studies have long shown that medical students receive only a few hours of nutrition instruction across four years of training. By joining this federal effort, MCG will integrate more hands-on lessons about food as medicine, covering topics like managing chronic diseases through diet and addressing food insecurity.

The program does not require a complete overhaul of existing coursework. Instead, it encourages schools to embed nutrition concepts into existing classes, such as biochemistry, physiology, and clinical rotations. For MCG, this means future doctors will leave with a stronger grasp of how what patients eat affects their health, from heart disease to diabetes.

Other medical schools across the country are also signing up, signaling a broader shift in how the medical field views nutrition. For now, MCG is one of the early adopters in Georgia, positioning its graduates to be more effective in a healthcare landscape that increasingly values preventive care.