A multidisciplinary interclerkship on hunger and malnutrition

Objective: In 1997 we developed a third-year "interclerkship" course during which students return to the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) campus for two days to study childhood hunger and malnutrition. We sought to ( 1) provide knowledge about (a) the extent to which hunger and malnutrition occur, (b) the short· and long-term physical, psychosocial, and cognitive consequences of hunger and malnutrition, (c) practical information on good nutrition, (d) and resources available that help children at risk for hunger or malnutrition; (2) develop skills to use physical signs and screening questions to identify risk and apply nutritional principles and effective patients education; and (3) foster an attitude supportive of the role of nutrition in preventive medicine and of physician advocacy for the nutritional health of children and communities.