Introduction: Clinical Nutrition is finding its place within medical training. In response to IrSPEN's objectives and ESPEN's manifesto, IrSPEN distributed an electronic survey investigating attitudes to Clinical Nutrition and unmet educational needs.
Methods: A 35-part questionnaire was designed and distributed to clinicians in Ireland. Questions elicited clinician demographics, education history and experience assessing and managing malnutrition. Descriptive statistics were reported, comparisons analysed using Chi-squared test and correlation between experience and confidence analysed with Spearman correlation coefficient.
Results: Of 168 respondents, 41% (n = 58) were male and most practice medicine in an academic centre (87.5%). Fifty-eight (34.7%) were regularly involved in nutrition support. Despite 20% (n = 33) of respondents regularly managing patients on parenteral nutrition (PN) and a fifth (n = 34) regularly managing complications of obesity, few had confidence in assessment for artificial nutrition (15.7% (n = 26), enteral nutrition; 8% (n = 13), PN). Trainees were less confident than attending staff in assessing and managing artificial enteral feeding (p = 0.022) and complications of PN (p = 0.01). Over 70% respondents reported they received <2 h clinical nutrition education. Only 32% (n = 52) received any formal training within postgraduate training (PGT), more often GI trainees (p = 0.01). A striking 98% felt additional focus on nutrition education in PGT is required.
Conclusion: This survey elicits physician attitudes on nutrition education in undergraduate and postgraduate curricula in Ireland. Practicing physicians identify the need to increase clinical nutrition education. IrSPEN are actively engaging with Irish medical schools and training bodies to address these deficits with multidisciplinary engagement from expert physicians and allied dietetic colleagues.
Keywords: Clinical nutrition; Curriculum; Education.
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.