Best strategies to teach nutrition courses in graduate programs: a systematic review

Introduction Graduate-level nutrition education requires innovative teaching strategies that foster advanced clinical competence, professional communication, cultural responsiveness, and self-directed learning. Methods This systematic review synthesized evidence from fifteen peer-reviewed studies examining diverse teaching strategies in graduate nutrition programs. Results Most interventions employed simulation-based learning, experiential placements, or flipped classrooms, often incorporating technology such as virtual simulations and online collaborative platforms. Simulation and experiential approaches improved clinical competence, communication skills, empathy, and self-efficacy by providing realistic, hands-on experiences that bridged theoretical knowledge with professional practice. Flipped classrooms, though less frequently implemented, promoted teamwork, problem-solving, and reflective learning, while also requiring careful design to ensure adequate preparation and engagement. Purposefully integrated technology enhanced flexibility and reinforced active participation, particularly when used to complement, not replace, human interaction. Across study designs, findings highlight the strong alignment of active learning strategies with professional competency frameworks, particularly in fostering critical thinking, cultural competence, and inter-professional collaboration. These methods appear to facilitate the transition from student to emerging practitioner by simulating real-world complexity and encouraging reflective decision-making. However, evidence was limited by small sample sizes, short intervention periods, and reliance on self-reported measures, restricting generalizability. Conclusion Overall, active learning strategies, especially simulation-based learning, experiential placements, and flipped classrooms, are effective tools for developing essential competencies in graduate-level nutrition education when supported by institutional resources and thoughtful pedagogical design. Systematic Review Registration https://idesr.org/article/IDESR000121 , IDESR IDESR000121.