Revival Strategy 1: Integrating Nutritional Therapy Practices into Board Exams

We have this opportunity to bump the trajectory of human healthspan to unimaginable places.

In a country where over 60% of adults live with at least one chronic condition, and where nutrition is a leading determinant of health, most physicians still receive fewer than 20 hours of nutrition education during their university experience. Is this a systemic healthcare flaw we should continue to ignore?

Revival Strategy Moment: For anyone touched by chronic disease, this moment holds real promise. With the right knowledge, the right practices, and the right support, health can be restores in ways that were once deemed out of reach. It’s not about magic—it’s about making informed choices, consistently and compassionately. Let’s begin by training those who have dedicated their lives to healing the sick.

What if the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) required a robust, clinically relevant nutrition curriculum in all U.S. medical schools—and required board exams to test for competence in nutritional therapy for chronic disease?

By integrating nutrition science directly into the foundation of medical education and licensing, we can catalyze a generation of clinicians equipped to treat the root causes of chronic disease rather than simply manage their symptoms.

Strategy Overview

This initiative is a critical element of the 2035 health transformation goal: To elevate the U.S. population to the fourth healthiest nation in the world. Here’s how:

Strategic Goal

Develop and require accredited, evidence-based nutrition therapy training for all U.S. medical students by 2028, with board certification standards including nutrition competency by 2030. Once the training curriculum is released, requirements for all health-related educational facilities, including NP, RN, LPN, EMT, chiropractic, etc. will begin deployment without delay.

Steps to Execution

1. Mandate Curriculum Reform (HHS + LCME Partnership)

• Require all medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) to integrate nutritional therapy into their core curriculum.
• Use HHS funding leverage (e.g., Title VII grants) to enforce compliance and incentivize innovation.

2. Create a National Clinical Nutrition Standards Panel

• Assemble a panel of MDs, PhDs, RDs, and functional medicine educators.
• Define evidence-based guidelines for the nutritional management of chronic diseases (e.g., Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, IBS, fatty liver disease).

3. Update the USMLE and Board Exam Content

• Collaborate with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and specialty boards (e.g., ABIM) to embed nutrition-related case scenarios into Step 2 and Step 3 exams.
• Include practical applications (e.g., nutrition counseling, personalized dietary planning) in clinical skills assessments.

4. Launch CME Requirements for Practicing Physicians

• Require CME credits in therapeutic nutrition for license renewals starting in 2030.
• Offer pathways for existing practitioners to earn micro-credentials or certifications in integrative nutrition.

5. Promote Academic–Practice Partnerships

• Fund pilot programs between medical schools and hospital-based culinary medicine centers.
• Create fellowships for MDs and RDs to co-lead clinical nutrition education.

Existing Models to Learn From

• Tulane University’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine: The first teaching kitchen at a medical school that trains doctors in hands-on nutrition therapy.
• University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville: Requires over 100 hours of lifestyle medicine education—including nutrition.
• Harvard’s Nutrition Curriculum Task Force: Has long advocated for expanding diet-focused education across all years of medical training.
• Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM): Offers certification in functional nutrition and chronic disease reversal strategies, often in partnership with medical schools.
• Alice L. Walton School of Medicine: This new school of medicine that integrates traditional medical education with a whole-person approach to care.
• Veterans Affairs Whole Health System: Transforming care delivery with complementary and integrative health approaches.

Key Resources to Be Recruited

• Academic Partners: AAMC, LCME, AMA, and nutrition science departments
• Professional Societies: ACLM, IFM, AND (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• Policy Advocates: Bipartisan Policy Center, American Public Health Association
• Public Sector Champions: HHS, NIH/NCCIH, CMS
• Private Funders: Foundations focused on food systems, longevity, and education reform

Why This Can Succeed

• Public Demand: 81% of Americans believe food is medicine and want dietary options discussed by their doctor.
• Cost Savings: Nutrition-first interventions are shown to reduce hospitalization and pharmaceutical dependence.
• Clinician Demand: A new generation of med students is calling for education that addresses prevention, not just procedures.
• Political Momentum: The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health has already acknowledged the need for medical training reform.

The Bigger Picture

Training physicians in the power of food is not a fringe idea—it’s a front line solution. Imagine a future where a doctor doesn’t prescribe statins first, but instead personalizes a nutrition plan to improve the numbers. The future may be where metabolic syndrome doesn’t get worse—because it never started.

Medical education shapes the lens through which health is treated. Let’s re-frame that lens to see food not as fuel, but as the first line of medicine.

Call to Action

We urge HHS and the nation’s top medical schools to take this step. We call on deans, educators, policymakers, and students to demand that nutritional competence be considered clinical competence. Because a healthier future starts with better-trained doctors—and a deeper understanding of what’s on their own plate.

Truth, Clarity, & the Fine Print

Are You Interested in Making a Difference? Click here to get involved with the LBNC Ten Year Health Transformation Challenge. Let’s work together to make the U.S. the 4th healthiest nation in the world by 2035.

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Medical Disclaimer: Only licensed MDs are authorized to make medical claims. We connect you with professionals trained to support and optimize your health outcomes. Always consult your physician — ideally one trained in functional medicine — or another qualified provider regarding any medical concerns.

Editorial Disclaimer: Our Take is an opinion series from the Life by Natural Causes (LBNC) team, offering our perspective on health, wellness, and the systems that shape them. Grounded in research and real-world experience, these views reflect our mission to inspire healthier outcomes. We invite you to reflect—and share your take with us.