This semester, 28 first-year Larner College of Medicine students are learning about culinary medicine, which pairs nutritional science with preventative health care. Medical class of 2026 students Sarah Krumholz and Molly Hurd developed a semester-long extracurricular program comprised of five sessions that teaches classmates about lifestyle interventions for chronic disease. 

Co-leaders of the Lifestyle Medicine Student Interest Group at UVM, Hurd and Krumholz recognized the value of including nutrition in medical education. Working with faculty advisor Whitney Calkins, M.D., assistant professor of family medicine, they developed the pilot class with an aim to educate future doctors on the science of culinary medicine and increase their confidence engaging with patients about nutrition, because nutrition counseling can save lives.

Nutrition is a vital spoke on the wheel of integrative health. "We know that food choices can diminish or promote health," said Kim Dittus, M.D., Ph.D., oncologist, associate professor, Supportive Services Director of the UVM Cancer Center, and a key member of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UVM's Executive Leadership team. "Teaching culinary medicine principles to medical students is a great way to improve their confidence in making diet recommendations and enhance the health of individuals in their care going forward." 

Dittus’ research focuses on the impact of nutrition and exercise on improving cancer outcomes. The Osher Center's partnership with Culinary Medicine enables Dittus, Calkins, and other educators like Karen Westervelt, PT, ATC, NBC-HWC, Ph.D., faculty in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and Osher's Education Program Director, to engage with students in and out of the classroom through a variety of integrative healthcare areas like nutrition. 

Read more about the pilot Culinary Medicine course at the Larner College of Medicine and the session at which Dr. Dittus presented scientific evidence linking food and health.