UTHealth Houston medical students complete inaugural culinary medicine program

Students in the Culinary Medicine Program learn proper techniques for healthy cooking. (Photo by UTHealth Houston)

Fourth-year students at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston participated in the inaugural presentation of the Culinary Medicine program March 17 in the Nourish Kitchen at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.

“At McGovern Medical School, we developed this four-year Culinary Medicine elective to immerse students in real patient cases, hands-on cooking, and simulations, while strengthening their nutrition communication skills,” said Rupa Mahadevan, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at McGovern Medical School and culinary medicine instructor at the School of Public Health. “By working alongside registered dietitians and physicians, students experience true multidisciplinary learning, an initiative aligned with our leadership taking part in the HHS nutrition education efforts and the vision of SB 25 to advance nutrition in clinical care.”

The three-hour elective began with a lecture highlighting the importance of physicians to be able to identify and treat obesity in an effective yet sensitive way. Students learned the stigmas facing patients with obesity and how to talk to patients about weight without stress or judgement.

“The Culinary Medicine elective during transition to residency was a perfect conclusion to our longitudinal nutrition curriculum,” said Luke Twaddell, fourth-year medical student. “Hearing from registered dietitians on how we can best help our patients and work together toward their nutritional goals, both in and out of the hospital, really tied everything together for me.”

The lecture also explained how to teach patients proper eating techniques and which foods are better options, how to assess a patient’s potential needs for additional resources, and how to manage a patient’s expectations and motivations for changing their diet and lifestyle.

After the lecture, students participated in a simulation lab that placed them in a real-life clinical situation. Using a lifelike patient manikin, students put themselves into a hospital visit where they asked questions, observed patients, and learned to make real-world decisions in the classroom.

Following the simulation lab, students cooked a full meal in the Nourish Kitchen. While preparing tacos and cilantro lime rice, they learned food-cutting and preparation techniques as well as what foods can be substituted to make traditional dishes healthier.

“Seeing what was involved in a dietitian’s conversations and patient physical exams allowed me to gain a better picture of what it means when we place a nutrition consult,” Twaddell said. “Cooking a healthy meal with alternatives to common, less healthy foods, especially alongside my classmates, made the day one of my most memorable in medical school. I’m thankful I chose to take this elective and know that it will benefit me as I start residency soon.”

The Culinary Medicine elective is part of a nationwide initiative for medical schools to commit to meaningful nutrition training for future doctors. McGovern Medical School joined more than 50 of the nation’s top medical schools across 31 states to provide at least 40 hours of nutrition education for students beginning in fall 2026, when second-year students at McGovern Medical School will begin taking the course.