The EAT teaching project developed an international elective course for first- and second-year medical students and successfully implemented it with 25 students and 10 general practitioners' practices. The elective course was very well evaluated and increased students' competence in talking to patients about nutrition and their knowledge of the climate impact of nutrition.
Family doctors are key multipliers for climate-sensitive nutrition—they are usually the first point of contact for people seeking medical assistance for nutrition-related illnesses. The elective course EAT prepares medical students for this role using evidence-based principles from the Planetary Health Diet and motivational interviewing techniques.
Family doctor practices play a central role in the EAT project as places of learning: they enable students to apply and reflect on what they have learned in direct contact with patients—under the supervision of experienced family doctors.
Family doctor practices were involved in the elective course EAT in the following roles:
- Students spent two half-days observing at a family doctor's practice.
- During this time, you became familiar with everyday practice and gained initial insights into patient consultations.
- Under medical supervision, the students conducted at least two interviews with volunteer patients on the topic of nutrition. The interviews were prepared and reviewed together with the supervisors.
Before participating in the practical placements, the students underwent intensive preparation by us.
At that point, their level of knowledge included:
- The theory of the Planetary Health Diet developed by the EAT-Lancet Commission
- Fundamentals of nutritional counseling and motivational interviewing
- Recipes for delicious plant-based dishes
Which patients or which counseling situations are suitable for supervised discussions during the observation period?
- DMP appointments/check-ups for conditions that would benefit from a plant-based diet (e.g., hypertension, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, etc.)
- Check-up, nutritional counseling, climate consultation
We supported family doctor practices prior to the practice visit with a briefing meeting, and we also provided them with
- Documents such as cheat sheets for supervising physicians, a cheat sheet for students, a handout for patients
- Access to a learning program we have developed for family doctors on the topic
Experiences
Both students and family doctors in our previous project rotations report positive experiences with the elective course:
“The EAT elective showed me how much you can learn about communication, nutrition, and climate protection in a short period of time.” (Medical student at the University of St. Andrews)
“After attending seminars on motivational interviewing and completing my practical internship, I feel much more confident when patients ask me questions about nutrition.” (Medical student at the University of Bonn)
“My participation in the EAT project has reinforced the importance of sustainable nutrition for me. The course content has rubbed off on all the staff at my practice!” (Family doctor in Bonn)
“The students were extremely well prepared for their practical training and highly motivated. I think it makes a lot of sense to give medical students the opportunity to interact with patients at an early stage.” (Family doctor in Bonn)
If you are interested in further information on climate protection in general practice, we have compiled some resources for you here:
- Klima-Docs → An initiative by committed physicians and medical students who are committed to climate protection, sustainable healthcare, and the integration of planetary health issues into medical education.
- Klimaschutz und Klimaanpassung in Arztpraxen → Practical recommendations from the Federal Environment Agency on reducing emissions, resource-efficient practice management, and adapting to climate impacts in outpatient care.
- KLUG– Deutsche Allianz Klimawandel und Gesundheit (German Alliance on Climate Change and Health) → Network of medicine, science, and practice that promotes healthy living conditions in times of climate change and provides educational and informational materials on planetary health.