Healthy Kitchens is the program that was started in Elmira, derived from Health Meets Food — a program created and started by the American College of Culinary Medicine. It equips medical students with hands-on culinary training to apply nutrition science directly to patient care and confidently use food as medicine.
Comprehensive Nutrition Curriculum Expansion
Transforming Medical Education Through Nutrition
A Comprehensive Expansion of Nutrition Education at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
LECOM is launching a comprehensive expansion of nutrition education across its medical curriculum, equipping future physicians with the knowledge and practical skills to combat today’s most prevalent chronic diseases through evidence-based nutrition.
Rooted in Osteopathic Philosophy
Richard Terry, DO, MBA | Vice President of Health Sciences and Dean of LECOM at Elmira
Osteopathic medicine founder Dr. Andrew Taylor Still recognized this truth:
“You can poison yourself with too much food — and the wrong food.”
As an osteopathic medical school, LECOM has long embraced the body’s innate ability to heal itself and the importance of a holistic approach to patient care. Today, the greatest threats to American health — heart disease, metabolic disease, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer — are largely preventable.
Nutrition plays a central role in chronic disease prevention.
The Lancet Commission reports that diets emphasizing moderated portions of animal products and healthy amounts of whole grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables significantly reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Expanding Nutrition Education: From 18 to 60 Hours
- LECOM is radically expanding nutrition education across the curriculum:
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Current instruction: 18 hours Integrated in LDP and PBL-Pathways -
Expanded instruction: 60 hours threaded in all pathways and incorporated in OPP and H&P -
Net increase: +42 hours of in-depth nutrition education
- This expansion applies to all pathways, integrating nutrition into:
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Didactic lectures -
Practical learning experiences -
Clinical competencies -
Observed Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)
- Students will be assessed on real-world nutrition competencies, ensuring knowledge translates directly into patient care.
Proven Programs, Expanded Impact
LECOM already has a strong foundation in applied nutrition education through successful, community-focused initiatives, including:
Healthy Kitchens
Blue Zones Community Research
In Corry, PA, LECOM is shaping a new generation of physicians through practical, evidence-based nutrition education informed by Blue Zones research, emphasizing prevention, longevity, and whole-person health for patients and communities.
Curriculum Objectives
- The objectives of LECOM’s expanded nutrition curriculum are clear and measurable:
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Integrate evidence-based nutrition throughout all phases of medical education -
Teach practical clinical application of nutrition in patient care -
Rigorously evaluate student competency and outcomes -
Measure and publish data-driven results -
Ensure every graduate understands the central role of nutrition in chronic disease prevention - Every nutrition concept taught will be explicitly tied to its role in improving patient outcomes.
A Seamlessly Integrated, Four-Year Experience
Years 1–2: Foundations & Clinical Integration
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Introduction to evidence-based nutrition from day one -
Nutrition’s role in preventing chronic disease -
Advanced nutrition topics integrated beginning in Semester 3 -
Focus on prevention strategies supported by large-scale population data
Years 3–4: Clinical Application
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Nutrition modules embedded into every clinical rotation -
Practical demonstrations of nutrition’s role in real-world healthcare delivery -
A fourth-year immersive elective rotation focused on food systems, nutrition, and the environment
The Ultimate Goal: Preventing Chronic Disease
- At its core, this initiative is about one thing — preventing chronic disease that shortens lives and causes unnecessary suffering.
- Every nutrition topic in the curriculum is tied directly to:
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Chronic disease prevention -
Increased lifespan -
Improved health span - By empowering future physicians with strong, practical nutrition education, LECOM is shaping a new generation of doctors prepared to lead patients and communities toward healthier futures.
Our innovative approach to medical education
LECOM Nutrition forward education is redefining preventive medicine and shaping the future of osteopathic care.