Culinary Medicine

Overview

The Culinary Medicine program at the University of Kansas Medical Center pairs evidence-based nutrition guidance with hands-on, experiential learning for health professional learners.

In this integrative program, learners train in kitchens, gardens and community spaces — not just exam rooms — and gain experience facing some of the same constraints that patients face when implementing nutrition recommendations.

Medical guidance is translated into practical, everyday behaviors, while learners develop skills in nutrition counseling, cultural humility and patient-centered care, preparing them for in-person and telehealth clinical practice.

By embedding food access, service learning and real-world experiences into medical education, the program creates meaningful, applied learning that prepares future health care providers to improve health outcomes across the populations they’ll serve.

The program also supports the School of Medicine’s Certificate of Distinction in Lifestyle Medicine, where nutrition is a core pillar, bringing culinary medicine-aligned training opportunities to students in Kansas City, Wichita and Salina.

Finally, the Culinary Medicine program also serves as a connector for Food Is Medicine efforts across campus, bringing together education, community engagement and institutional initiatives.

Metrics

• 30–40 medical students trained annually through immersive electives
• Expanded reach through campus and community engagement initiatives
• Interprofessional learning across medicine, dietetics and community partners