Food As Medicine Grant

AACOM is excited to announce a special grant opportunity for colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) to advance the integration of "Food As Medicine" into osteopathic medical education (OME).

This initiative aims to equip future physicians with the knowledge to use nutrition in preventing and managing chronic diseases. AACOM supports this effort by funding innovative curriculum development, experiential learning, interprofessional collaboration and clinical training in nutritional counseling.

Contribute to the future of healthcare by promoting Food As Medicine in osteopathic education.

Background

In April at Educating Leaders 2024, the AACOM Annual Conference, a special program on Food As Medicine was offered to all attendees. After plenary and panel sessions highlighting the significance of Food As Medicine and its alignment with osteopathic medicine principles, more than 500 osteopathic medical educators convened to chart a path forward to ensure that future osteopathic physicians provide exceptional patient care that integrates Food As Medicine. A strategic framework was issued in a formal statement by AACOM following the conference.

AACOM has committed to supporting its member COMs’ efforts to enhance nutrition education through five guiding principles:

• integration of nutrition education across the continuum of undergraduate and graduate osteopathic medical education
• curriculum development
• experiential learning
• interprofessional collaboration, and
• clinical training in nutritional counseling.

Introduction

To further support our members in implementing these five guiding principles, AACOM is pleased to announce a grant opportunity aimed at advancing Food as Medicine programming within its member COMs. This initiative promotes the integration of nutrition education throughout the continuum of osteopathic medical training, fostering holistic health and wellness in patient care.

Objective

This funding opportunity is designed to support innovative programs, curriculum development and community engagement projects that embody the principles of Food As Medicine in osteopathic medical education. Grant objectives must include a component of program evaluation to assess the impact of the supported opportunity.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include pre-accredited or accredited COMs in the United States. Collaborations with community organizations, dieticians, chefs and other healthcare professionals are encouraged. Developing COMs participating in AACOM’s consulting programs are also eligible.

Duration

Food As Medicine Grant funds will be awarded in December 2024. Funds will be issued directly to the COM. Awardees will have until July 2026 to use the funds.

Proposal Narrative

The entire document should not exceed 15 pages Proposals exceeding this limit may be automatically disqualified.

The proposal narrative should be organized as follows:

1. Title of Grant/Proposal
2. Category

• Integration of Nutrition Across the Medical Education Continuum: Integrate nutrition education through the lens of the osteopathic principles, throughout the pre-clinical and clinical curricula; within basic science, osteopathic clinical skills courses, on clinical rotations, through postgraduate training and continuing with faculty development and continuing medical education (CME) for graduated physicians.
• Curriculum Development: Develop evidence-based nutrition curricula tailored to the needs of osteopathic medical students, with an emphasis on integrative approaches to health and wellness.
• Experiential Learning Opportunities and Community Engagement: Partner with community organizations to offer hands-on experiences such as culinary medicine workshops, community garden projects, simulation sessions and cooking classes. Provide students with practical skills for counseling patients on dietary interventions and nutritious eating habits.
• Interprofessional Collaboration: Foster collaboration among medical students, dieticians, chefs and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care.
• Clinical Training in Nutrition Education and Counseling: Integrate nutrition education into clinical training sites and/or specific clinical rotations; develop nutrition education programs designed to teach nutrition counseling in patient care.

3. Name of principal investigator(s), affiliation, institution, contact information and institutional contact
4. Statement of specific research question
5. Specific research aims
6. Provide background and significance
7. Describe the study design and methods
8. Program evaluation plan: Describe how success of the project is assessed, focusing on the key performance indicators. Please use SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-delimited; Download How to Write Smart Objectives for effective writing tips. Plan for ‘publication’ of results (journal submission or to Educating Leaders, the AACOM Annual Conference)
9. Sustainability
10. Literature cited
11. Budget (see budget note*)
12. Brief Bio (see brief bio note**)
13. IRB decision or evidence of submission to IRB (from each institution involved in study)
14. If relevant, letter(s) of commitment from department chair(s) and external collaborator(s) on institutional letter head
15. If relevant, approval by osteopathic college or hospital research office (from each institution involved in study)

*Budget Note: The budget must provide sufficient details to fully explain and justify the resources needed to accomplish all specific aims

• Total Amount Requested: Include only direct costs related to the research project. (up to $7500)
• Travel Budget: If a travel budget is included, the projected travel expenditure must total less than 50% of the total budget and the budget narrative must clearly state how the travel directly relates to the proposed research. Be sure to itemize the expenditures based on destination, number of researchers, etc.
• Funding support cannot be used for capital expenditures such as salaries, rent/utilities or other indirect costs.
• Document the Grant Fund
• The budget is part of the proposal narrative and should detail how the budget will be used. Download sample Excel budget sheet.

**Brief Bio Note: Brief bio of investigator(s) should be limited to no more than 250 words per person. Key elements to consider including:

• Full name
• Credentials
• Graduate/postgraduate education
• Current position, program, institution
• Experience relevant to the proposed grant research
• Research and/or publication accomplishments relevant to the proposed grant research