PD109 - INTEGRATING NUTRITION INTO MEDICAL SCHOOLS: A STRUCTURED EXPERT CONSENSUS ON THE GERMAN MODEL CURRICULUM

PD109

INTEGRATING NUTRITION INTO MEDICAL SCHOOLS:

A STRUCTURED EXPERT CONSENSUS ON THE GERMAN MODEL CURRICULUM

C. G. Leineweber^1,*, A. Hill², J. Wechsler³, P. Stehle⁴, A. von Ellerts⁵, L. Sester⁶, E. Dresen⁷, O. Adam⁵, T. Kauth⁸, J. Herbers⁹, S. C. Bischoff¹⁰, C. Sina¹¹, Y. Zopf¹², K. Mai¹³, C. Cuerda¹⁴, M. Muscaritoli¹⁵, A. S. Sasdelli¹⁶, G. Bischoff¹⁷, M. Pirlich¹⁸ on behalf of German Society for Nutritional Medicine, Professional Association of German Nutritional Medicine Practitioners, German Academy for Nutritional Medicine, European Society of Clinical Nutrition and

¹Medical Clinic B for Gastroenterology/Endocrinology, University Hospital Ruppin-Brandenburg, Brandenburg, ²Clinic for Anesthesiology and Clinic for Operative Intensive Care Medicine and Intermediate Care, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, ³Joint Practice, Munich, ⁴Institute for Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, ⁵Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, ⁶Clinic for Hematology/Oncology/Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, ⁷Department of Anesthesiology/Intensive Care/Emergency/Pain Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, ⁸Pediatric and adolescent medical practice Dres. Beck and Kauth, Ludwigsburg, ⁹Self-employed, Pleidelsheim, ¹⁰Institute for Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Hohenheim, ¹¹Institute for Nutritional Medicine, University Medical Centre Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, ¹²Hector Centre for Nutrition/Exercise/Sport, University Medical Centre Erlangen, Erlangen, ¹³Medical Clinic for Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany, ¹⁴Department of Medicine and Nutrition Unit, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, ¹⁵Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ¹⁶Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, ¹⁷Centre for Nutritional Medicine and Prevention, Barmherzige Brüder Hospital, Munich, ¹⁸Practice Kaisereiche, Berlin, Germany

Rationale: Clinical nutrition remains underrepresented in European medical curricula, contributing to considerable uncertainty among clinicians addressing nutritional needs in complex patient care. A German model curriculum was developed to systematically address this educational gap

Methods: Using a structured, multi-phase, expert consensus approach a competency-based curriculum was developed over a 14-month period (Dec 2023 - Feb 2025). The process involved over 20 contributors, including students, nutrition scientists and physicians affiliated with three major German-speaking nutrition societies (DGEM, DAEM, BDEM). In total, 11 structured virtual consensus meetings were held, accompanied by iterative written feedback loops. Key milestones included public presentation at the ‘Nutrition 2024’ congress in June 2024 and external review by five academic chairs of nutritional medicine in Germany. The final manuscript was approved in March 2025, followed by refinement for international alignment and discussion with members of the ESPEN-NEMS group.

Results: The final curriculum consists of 13 modular units designed for integration into various medical school formats. Modules span foundational nutritional physiology, disease-related malnutrition, evidence-based nutrition therapy, and interprofessional implementation across clinical disciplines. Emphasis was placed on practical application, interprofessional collaboration, and alignment with ESPEN NEMS core competencies.

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Conclusion: The model curriculum is under active discussion with German medical faculties and health authorities. It offers a scalable framework for international adaptation and is intended to stimulate broader curriculum reform across European medical education systems.

References: Hill A, Leineweber CG et al. Integrating Nutritional Medicine into Medical Studies – A Model Curriculum. Aktuelle Ernährungsmedizin. 2025;50(05):354-63. 

Disclosure of Interest: None declared