WVSOM joins federal Advancing Nutrition Education initiative
Recognizing the value of nutrition education for medical students, the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) has joined the Advancing Nutrition Education Initiative, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).
WVSOM Chief Academic Officer Gail Swarm, D.O., and other school representatives attended a press conference on June 9 in the nation’s capital, announcing the latest HHS efforts to increase nutrition requirements for U.S. medical education.
HHS hosted representatives from medical schools from across the country, as well as eight of the nation’s leading medical school accreditors, assessors and medical organizations that have signed the Trump administration’s Nutrition Education Pledge. With the pledge, the schools vow to incorporate 40 hours of nutritional education or its competency equivalent into graduation requirements starting this fall.
“Poor diets are the primary driver of America’s chronic disease epidemic, and today’s announcement reflects the shifting landscape toward placing nutrition and prevention at the core of patient health,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Still, more work remains, and I look forward to seeing nutrition play an increased role as the latest science, data and best practices develop.”
WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., said joining the nutrition initiative was a natural fit.
“The osteopathic approach to medicine is based on understanding the distinction between health and disease. Having a doctor who understands nutrition is a key to living a healthy life,” Nemitz said.
WVSOM’s “Finding Health” curriculum emphasizes health and wellness while teaching the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The curriculum’s health and wellness thread educates medical students about nutrition, exercise, lifestyle and prevention to treat illnesses and help their patients achieve health.
Swarm said the curriculum made it easy to commit to the initiative.
“Osteopathic medicine has always focused on caring for the whole person, with prevention and health promotion at its core. At WVSOM, we’ve made nutrition and wellness a meaningful part of our curriculum, and we are proud to share this work with HHS and be recognized for our commitment to advancing nutrition education in medical training,” Swarm said.
Joining Swarm at the announcement were WVSOM faculty members Brian Griffith, Ph.D., Dina Schaper, D.O. and third-year student Jacqueline Shoemaker, and consultant Mike Fulton.
Participating medical organizations included the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, the National Board of Medical Examiners, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the American Board of Medical Specialties and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
The initiative began in August 2025, when the HHS and the DOE sent a letter to medical organizations, encouraging them to improve their standards and place nutrition at the core of their programs.
“Making America Healthy Again begins with education, and we are encouraged to see accreditors and institutions of higher education working together to better prepare current and future physicians for success,” said Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent. “This commitment to strengthening nutrition education reflects the Trump administration’s efforts to reform higher education and focus on what matters most: ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education and the knowledge needed to improve our communities.”
At the June event, 19 schools across the nation pledged to require at least 40 hours of nutrition education or to implement a 40-hour competency equivalent. Those schools join 54 schools that committed to the initiative earlier this year.