First period medical student's perception of the importance of nutritional counseling in clinical practice

Abstract

Objective: To understand the perception of medical students, in the first period, about the importance of nutritional counseling in clinical practice. Methods: Qualitative study based on the analysis of empirical data referring to the responses, given by 38 students from the first period of a private school in Minas Gerais, to the questionnaire Nutrition in Patient Care Survey that assesses the attitude towards nutritional counseling in clinical practice. The percentage of agreement per item of the instrument and, through an analytical model, similar ideas were grouped into final categories. Results: Students realize that nutritional counseling is important and that the medical effort in patient education is effective for adhering to nutritional recommendations. They further believe that doctors are not properly trained to discuss nutrition with their patients. The thematic analysis indicated four final categories: 1. Nutritional counseling is essential in clinical practice; 2. Nutritional advice is a specialist's job; 3. Doctors have no interest and training to carry out nutritional counseling; 4. Nutritional counseling alone is not enough to trigger changes in eating habits in patients. Conclusion: Students realize that nutritional counseling is important, but they believe that doctors are not trained to perform it.