Mapping Nutrition Competencies in the Foundation Years (Years 1 and 2) in Four Australian Medical Courses using an Online Curriculum Mapping Tool
Authors: Nowson Caryl 
Published: November 2023

The Web Based Nutrition Competency Toolkit (WNCIT) was developed to assist universities to embed nutrition competencies into medical curricula, having the potential to improve population health and reduce the burden of chronic disease. One of the components of WNCIT was an online curriculum‐mapping tool (CMT). This tool aimed to map previously defined 4 knowledge and 5 skill based nutrition competencies.

Information on curriculum content was captured in Excel spreadsheets, then uploaded onto a web‐based curriculum analysis program that extracted information on: total number of learning outcomes (LOs), LOs that included nutrition competencies and the number of occasions of assessment of competencies.

On commencing mapping it became clear that LOs were only clearly documented for the first two years of each medical course, and hence was confined to these years.

The number of staff hours to complete the mapping exercise ranged from 47 to 226 hours. The total number of documented LOs ranged from 212 to 1827. The proportion of the total LOs that included nutrition LOs ranged from 4%–31%. The number of occasions of competency assessment ranged from 17% – 82%.

Knowledge based nutrition competencies covered in courses included demonstration of an understanding of the: (1) basic sciences (15%–30% of occasions of nutrition content), (2) interactive role of nutrition in health (16%–31%) (3) evidence‐based dietary strategies (8%–17%) and (4) cultural and social aspects of food (2%–12%). Skill based competencies covered included identification of nutritional risk (7%–20%), and ability to work in a team (1%–16%). The remaining 3 skill based competencies represented between 0%–12% nutrition content.

Conclusions

Curriculum mapping requires a significant amount of staff time and is dependent on the level of documentation of the current curriculum. The total number of LOs delivered during the first two years varied widely, due to differences in course structure and level of documentation. The variation in the assessed nutrition LOs is related to the total number of LOs, with a higher proportion reflected in the course with the least number of LOs overall. Less of the skill based nutrition competences were included, representing less than 21% of content.

This tool was useful to map the first two year of medical curriculum but not to map nutrition competencies developed in later clinical years. The development of nutrition competencies may also not be readily identifiable as nutrition learning occasions can be embedded in other topics eg aged care. The significant amount of staff time required to document the curriculum may preclude the undertaking of curriculum mapping. It is of interest that the value of this online curriculum mapping tool was recognised as being modifiable to enable mapping of the curriculum of all relevant graduate competencies required for external accreditation.

Extent of Inclusion of Nutrition Competencies Years 1 and 2

University
Total Learning Outcomes (LO)2
Number (%) LOs with nutrition competencies
Number of occasions where nutrition competencies were addressed (assessed and non‐assessed)
Number of occasion (%) where nutrition competencies were assessed
Number of occasion where individual nutrition competencies were addressed (assessed and non‐assessed)
Staff time to map (hrs)

K12
K2
K3
K4
S14
S2
S3
S4
S5

DU
1827
20611%
400
22957%
7519%
8421%
6717%
4712%
338%
297%
359%
143%
195%
226

UTAS1
1065
17231%
327
5217%
12034%
7923%
288%
4112%
3711%
216%
165%
51%
21%
195

UQ
830
314%
43
1944%
715%
1531%
612%
12%
1020%
0
612%
24%
12%
47

MON1
212
157%
17
1482%
916%
916%
59%
610%
47%
47%
59%
59%
916%
114

undergraduate course

total all topics years 1 and 2

knowledge based nutrition competency

skill based nutrition competency